Bai Lan never thought that one day she would accompany her older sister to her ex-brother-in-law’s wedding banquet. If this story were posted on social media, plenty of well-meaning netizens would offer all sorts of advice—like dressing the sister up beautifully and bringing a handsome guy along to really rub it in the other party’s face.
But in reality, it was just the two of them attending the wedding. They were dressed plainly, looking no different from any other guest going to a feast.
Of course, the reason her sister came wasn’t just because Qin Shengli personally invited her. Another reason was that she hadn’t been able to find Qin Shengli for several days. The 1,500 yuan he had sent over had become a hot potato. Her sister had been worried for days, genuinely afraid that Qin Shengli had gotten involved in something shady.
“Don’t worry, Sis. Looks like there will be a lot of people at this banquet today. It doesn’t seem like anything bad will happen.”
The banquet was being held in the steel factory’s workers’ canteen. In those days, when people from large state-owned units got married, they’d host the feast right in the unit’s canteen. Guests usually included direct supervisors, colleagues from the same department, relatives and friends, and a few close neighbors.
Before they even reached the canteen, Bai Lan was startled by the sea of people crowding the area. She knew the workers’ canteen was huge and that the steel factory employed tens of thousands of people. But it looked like several hundred people had shown up for this wedding. Wasn’t thrift supposed to be promoted in these times? Why such a big spectacle?
——
Just then, someone spotted Bai Lian and walked over in surprise. “Bai Lian, why are you here?”
Bai Lian was perfectly calm. “I received an invitation, so I came.”
The person hadn’t expected such an attitude from Bai Lian. They paused, unsure how to respond.
Bai Lan seized the chance to ask why there were so many people.
The person quickly answered, “Some of them are here to gawk.” Then, sneaking a glance at Bai Lian, they added sheepishly, “You know Qin Shengli’s mother, right? She’s got a big mouth. She’s been bragging everywhere that her son divorced without any trouble and found himself a young bride.”
After saying this, the person hurried off, afraid of being cornered by the Bai sisters.
But both Bai Lan and Bai Lian remained unfazed. Bai Lan looked at her sister speechlessly. “Is his mother going to come up to you later and say all sorts of nonsense?”
Bai Lian shook her head. “Let her.” With that, she took Bai Lan’s arm and quickened their pace toward the canteen entrance.
Soon, they saw Qin Shengli, glowing with happiness.
Whether it was the joy of the occasion or not, Qin Shengli looked like a completely different person compared to a few days ago. He was wearing his work uniform, with only a red paper flower pinned to his chest. He hadn’t gained weight, but he was radiant. He greeted every guest as they entered, shaking hands warmly. His smile never faded.
All in all, everything seemed perfectly normal. It was strange—he was a completely different man from the one they had seen just days earlier.
Bai Lan quietly followed her sister as they approached. Her sister looked like she wanted to say something to Qin Shengli, but he just smiled and said he had guests to attend to, telling the Bai sisters to go inside and wait.
They couldn’t talk much at the entrance with so many people watching. Bai Lan tugged her sister inside, whispering, “Sis, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. Qin Shengli looks great today. He’s acting like a proper groom.”
Bai Lian glanced back at Qin Shengli, who had already turned to greet more guests. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about him.
But soon, she didn’t have time to dwell on it. The moment they stepped inside the canteen, they ran into many familiar faces.
——
There were former office colleagues and quite a few of the Qin family’s relatives. When these people saw Bai Lian, each looked as if they’d seen a ghost. Qin Shengli’s mother, Old Mrs. Zhao, rushed over as soon as she heard Bai Lian had arrived.
“Oh my, you actually came!”
Bai Lian steeled herself. “You dared to send me an invitation, so I naturally dared to come.”
Her words were surprisingly firm, shocking those who had been surprised before. They all remarked that since the divorce, Bai Lian seemed to have grown a backbone.
Some muttered among themselves, saying that as a divorced woman with two kids, she’d be lucky to ever remarry—unlike Qin Shengli, who could turn around and find an 18-year-old bride.
Despite the gossip swirling around her, Bai Lian remained unmoved.
Just then, Qin Yan, who had arrived early as a relative, came over.
“Hey, you actually came!” Seeing Bai Lian talking to someone, Qin Yan pulled Bai Lan aside to chat.
Bai Lan nodded and asked quietly, “Has your older brother said anything?” For the past few days, Qin Tang hadn’t returned to the communal courtyard. He’d been staying at Qin Shengli’s place. If Qin Shengli were planning anything, Qin Tang would have some idea.
Qin Yan shook her head. “Brother Tang has been gone for days. No one knows what he’s been up to. But he came back early yesterday, carrying several jars of wine. He said he bought them from an old master craftsman. They’re for the banquet today.”
Buying wine for a wedding was a big deal. Bai Lan thought to herself that Qin Shengli was willing to spend a lot on alcohol—clearly, he took today seriously. So, had she been worrying for nothing?
She shook her head and looked around. “Why don’t I see Wang Juan anywhere?”
Qin Yan curled her lip. “She thinks she’s too precious. She’s resting in a borrowed room nearby. She’s not here, but every single member of the Wang family showed up.”
Following Qin Yan’s gaze, Bai Lan spotted a corner of the canteen crowded with people. They stood out from everyone else, their faces a mix of pride, excitement, and nervousness.
As for Wang Juan’s older brother, Wang Hao, he was already by the entrance, helping Qin Shengli greet the arriving leaders. He looked so eager that anyone watching might think he was the groom!
——
Bai Lan was just about to gossip with Qin Yan about Wang Hao when she caught a glimpse of a familiar middle-aged man flashing by. She didn’t think much of it, because right after that, she spotted someone even more familiar.
“Hey, hey—why is your third sister here too!”
Bai Lan looked over at Bai Ping, who had just walked in, and shook her head. “No idea.”
Bai Ping hadn’t been home for days, and no one knew what she was up to. Meanwhile, Bai Ping also spotted Bai Lan. Her expression was sour, but she walked straight over anyway.
“Why are you here? Don’t tell me Big Sister came too? How could she even show her face here?”
“Why wouldn’t I show my face? I’ve lived upright and honestly. I have nothing to be ashamed of.” A firm, resolute voice came from behind. When Bai Ping heard it, her face turned even uglier.
“Big Sister, this is your ex-husband’s wedding banquet. Aren’t you afraid of what people will say? Or are you planning to use attending your ex’s wedding to get into the newspapers again?”
The more Bai Ping spoke, the more she convinced herself that was exactly the case.
Bai Lian let out a cold laugh. “And what if I am? Isn’t that what I learned from you?”
Bai Ping was left speechless. She realized that since the divorce, her eldest sister had grown not only a sharper tongue but also a set of teeth in her belly.
Bai Lan wanted to pull her sister away from Bai Ping, who was acting like a mad dog. But just then, they heard Qin Shengli shout, “Mom, most of the guests are here. Go call Wang Juan out.”
Old Mrs. Zhao wiped the sour expression off her face—left over from being provoked by Bai Lian—shot a smug look in their direction, and headed outside.
Bai Lan was speechless again. What exactly had they come here for?
But soon, she realized she hadn’t come to the wrong place at all.
—
Zzt… zzt…
The jarring crackle of static echoed through the bustling canteen. Quite a few people paused at the sound. For a split second, the entire canteen seemed to go quiet. Then everyone looked at each other, shook their heads, and chuckled, thinking they’d imagined it.
But immediately, a series of crackling sounds followed one after another. People looked up at the large loudspeakers mounted in various corners of the canteen.
These loudspeakers belonged to the factory’s publicity department. During mealtimes, they usually played music or broadcasts. And the broadcast room was right next to the canteen.
Someone turned to Zhao Meixiang and teased, “Director Zhao, is there a broadcast scheduled for the canteen today?”
Zhao Meixiang was the head of the steel factory’s publicity department. She also happened to be the wife of Factory Director Song—and Song Guoping’s mother.
Of course, at that moment, Comrade Zhao Meixiang had no idea Bai Lan was also in the canteen. She shook her head at the other factory leaders nearby. What broadcast? The place was practically booked out today. She had no idea how the Qin family had such pull that Old Xiao had personally invited all of them department heads.
She hadn’t wanted to come. As the factory director’s wife, she didn’t need to attend a wedding like this. But Old Xiao’s wife had strong connections. And the mess her son Song Guoping had caused earlier still wasn’t fully resolved. Zhao Meixiang was afraid of offending anyone else, so she’d shown up.
At her table sat the heads of various steel factory departments. When they saw Zhao Meixiang shake her head, everyone laughed and said someone must have accidentally turned on the loudspeakers.
Someone glanced around and noticed Old Xiao wasn’t at the table. They asked casually.
“Oh, Old Xiao? He said he was going to the bathroom ten minutes ago.”
That prompted another round of laughter.
Then the crackling started again. Annoyed, Zhao Meixiang stood up to go turn off the loudspeakers. But just then, the static abruptly stopped.
Before anyone could react, the sound of wet, intimate kissing came through the loudspeakers, spreading in all directions. Not just in the canteen—at that moment, dozens of loudspeakers across the entire steel factory suddenly blared this sound.
Many people hadn’t yet figured out what was happening when a series of rustling noises followed. Then came muffled slapping sounds.
Those with experience already had a good idea of what was going on. They exchanged knowing glances with those nearby. Who on earth was this impatient? If they got caught, forget about losing face—they’d likely be hauled off for re-education.
Over in the workers’ canteen, several people had already stood up from their seats. Their expressions ranged from horrified to furious.
The reason for their reaction was simple: they knew that the bride-to-be, Wang Juan, was currently resting in the broadcast room.
—
Qin Shengli’s mother, Old Mrs. Zhao, knew that her future daughter-in-law Wang Juan was in the broadcast room. She had been about to go call her out so the feast could begin.
When she heard those intimate sounds over the loudspeakers, she immediately cursed Wang Juan in her heart for being shameless—dragging her son into such acts in broad daylight. She silently vowed that after today, she would thoroughly discipline this shameless young wife.
But she also knew that now wasn’t the time to say anything. She had to go turn off the broadcast switch immediately.
However, when she looked up at the control panel, she saw her son Qin Shengli standing there.
An unbelievable thought surged into her mind.
Old Mrs. Zhao shot up and stumbled toward her son, screaming internally: No, that’s not it. I misheard. I definitely misheard.
How could her son possibly be cuckolded?
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