Glancing at Lin Meifeng's dreamy, smiling face, Ding Jia took a big sip of tea. "I've sent Chengyi a message. He's coming soon. When he arrives, you two just need to put on your best 'responsible parents' act. Today, he has to give me an explanation!" She curved her lips into a sly smile, confident that Kong Chengyi would be easier to deal with than before, even willing to promise what she hoped for.
"What act? It's because we love you so much and fear you'll be played with. We'll definitely make him marry you!" Ding Qiang's eyes shone brightly with renewed confidence.
Ding Jia merely curled her lips and didn't respond to Ding Qiang's words. All that "care" and "love" was nonsense. When things got tough, the couple ran away faster than anyone else, leaving her behind without a second thought.
The three of them waited until their stomachs rumbled loudly, but Kong Chengyi still hadn't arrived. Ding Qiang's initial overflowing confidence began to waver. He kept pouring tea and finished off an entire plate of peanuts.
His hands twisted and untwisted nervously. Every few minutes, Lin Meifeng glanced toward the door, then turned to look at Ding Jia again, growing more anxious by the moment.
"Jiajia, what if he doesn't come? Maybe he knows we're here and doesn't want to see us?" Last time at the Kong residence, they had explicitly demanded that Ding Jia be given status and that they marry quickly. If he now knew the two of them were here, would he refuse to come, refusing to even negotiate with them?
"That Kong family is so arrogant just because they're rich. Humph, acting like emperors!" Ding Qiang's heart was uneasy, and though he wanted to scold Ding Jia, he feared provoking her anger, so he vented his frustration at the Kong family instead.
Nagging voices filled Ding Jia's ears, and her initial confidence began to shake slightly. She took out her phone and brought up Kong Chengyi's number but hesitated before flipping the phone face down on the table.
"Everyone, shut up and just drink your tea properly!"
"We rushed here as soon as you called. We haven't even eaten a bite—just tea filling our stomachs…" Lin Meifeng held her belly, feeling wronged as she looked at her daughter. Seeing Ding Jia's increasingly severe gaze, her words gradually faded away.
"Starving today so we won't starve later—isn't it worth it?" Ding Jia glared at her mother firmly, refusing to eat first. She insisted on waiting for Kong Chengyi to show up.
After about ten minutes, the private room door finally opened. The long-awaited man appeared, adorned in a sharp suit, strikingly handsome.
Lin Meifeng, who had almost turned her neck trying to see the door, exclaimed with joy, "Oh, you've come! We've been waiting for you so long!"
Unexpectedly seeing Ding Qiang and Lin Meifeng, Kong Chengyi paused briefly, his handsome brows furrowing. His gaze shifted toward Ding Jia, silently asking her what was going on.
Smiling charmingly, Ding Jia affectionately linked her arm through his and naively explained, "Yi, I was shopping with my parents today nearby your company. Since we've been together quite a while, I thought you should meet them!"
"Chengyi, we're family, aren't we? Having a meal together is only normal!" Ding Qiang seized the opportunity to ingratiate himself, his heavily wrinkled face unable to hide his forced smile.
Kong Chengyi grunted and sat down following Ding Jia, his sharp eyes sweeping across the couple present.
"If there's a next time you run away from debts, I'll make sure Ding Ding announces cutting ties with you both in the newspapers!"
He had never been soft on such shameless people. If Ding Jia chose to be with him, he definitely wouldn't become their ATM.
"That…" Caught off guard by Kong Chengyi's warning, Ding Qiang's forced smile vanished instantly. His angry voice trembled, "We are Ding Jia's parents. That's an unchangeable fact! We raised her with suffering and tears!"
No matter what, they were Ding Jia's parents. That relationship could never be severed. How could she enjoy a luxurious life and just abandon them?!
"Yi, they're still my parents no matter what. They definitely won't be unreasonable like before!"
Ding Jia just sat down and barely had the chance to speak before she met Kong Chengyi's resolute expression. She instantly looked wronged, her eyes gleaming with tears as she pleaded for them.
"Yeah, Chengyi, we're her parents after all. She's our only beloved daughter. How could we abandon her? Last time… last time was an accident!" Lin Meifeng quickly chimed in with a flattering tone.
"Our relationship can't be dismissed. But look, Jia's been with you nameless and statusless for so long. Wanting a proper status isn't unreasonable, yet you keep delaying. What's going on?"
Taking a big sip of warm tea, Ding Qiang seized the moment while he still had confidence, again pressing his request. He silently warned himself never to be intimidated by his stoic expression.
"The time hasn't come yet. When it does, I'll make the arrangements," Kong Chengyi said coolly, his sharp gaze fixed on Ding Qiang's face, a mocking curl at his lips.
Hearing this, Ding Jia, who was pouring tea for Kong Chengyi, paused, even letting some tea overflow without noticing.
"When will that time come? My daughter cannot wait forever. What if you don't want her later? How will you compensate us for our losses?"
Lin Meifeng looked worriedly at Ding Jia, about to say more but hesitated.
The tablecloth was soaked enough to drip water. Ding Jia finally snapped out of it thanks to Lin Meifeng's mention of "compensation." She sat down quietly, her voice low as she asked,
"Yi, do you not want to be with me? Can't we be together forever?"
Her slender fingers intertwined tightly, biting her lip as she focused on her own hands rather than Kong Chengyi.
"Ding Ding!" Kong Chengyi's face darkened with displeasure; his voice low and cold.
"I've told you not to say such things lightly. It shows disrespect to yourself and tramples on our feelings!"
At least up to this moment, he hadn't considered abandoning Ding Jia. Since they got back together, he naturally protected her under his wing. That was why he still sat there, not leaving despite the hunger.
"But my parents are right. Now everyone knows we're living together and that I'm your woman. Yet I'm still just a woman without a name or status. You haven't even publicly acknowledged me as your girlfriend!"
Tears gleamed on her long lashes, fluttering down onto her intertwined fingers, making them look even paler and more translucent.
"I saw the headline today: Hua Lianxi is openly with Cheng Shaobai, continuing their love openly. Shouldn't we also have our own new life? Shouldn't we be as loving as they are? I just want to be with you forever, to have your children, to be your wife!"
Deliberately mentioning Hua Lianxi's scandal and her old flame Cheng Shaobai, she clearly implied Hua Lianxi now belonged to another man, in his arms. She didn't believe he wouldn't care.
"Don't drag unrelated people into this!" Kong Chengyi's expression darkened as he suddenly stood up.
"If you really want it, then get engaged first. As for the wedding, we'll discuss it once Grandma fully recovers!"
The image of Hua Lianxi's disdain flashed through his mind, filling him with fury. He refused to let her shadow appear in his thoughts. If that was the case, then engagement it would be.
You have your Cheng Shaobai, I have my first love. Perfect?!
"Ke Jie, inform the media that Ding Jia and I are engaged. The wedding plans are still underway!"
He immediately took out his phone and instructed Ke Jie. His hawk-like eyes landed on the startled Ding Jia, his long fingers gently wiping her tears away.
"Is this enough? You're already my fiancée!"
If she hadn't suddenly disappeared back then, they would have married a long time ago. No need for all this back and forth to today.
Pressing his broad hand to her lips for a kiss, Ding Jia instantly turned her tears into a bright smile and sweetly called, "Husband!"
The situation flipped so quickly that Ding Qiang and Lin Meifeng stood there dumbfounded, mouths agape, unable to say a word.
"Mom, Dad, I'm engaged! We're engaged!" Ding Jia cried and happily shouted, throwing herself into Kong Chengyi's arms.
"Husband, you're my husband!"
Even if it was just an engagement, at least there was a formal promise. At last, she was officially Kong Chengyi's.
"Ah, engaged, engaged, that's great!" Ding Qiang turned back, slapping his thigh loudly as if to stimulate himself out of a dream.
"Well, well, now our daughter has a status!" Lin Meifeng happily grabbed Ding Qiang's hand.
"Old man, we definitely have to host that engagement banquet! We need to plan it properly—who to invite among relatives and friends. Think about it, all the red envelopes we gave at weddings before can now come back to us!"
Caught up in her joy, Lin Meifeng forgot Kong Chengyi was still there as she started counting the money she had given before—a sum she expected to get back.
"Invite everyone, invite everyone! But…"
Ding Qiang, lost in happiness, suddenly dragged out the last word and smiled at Kong Chengyi.
"Shouldn't there be a red envelope for us too for the engagement? Shouldn't we get a deposit first?"
They weren't officially married yet, but engagement was half the battle. Giving a deposit was reasonable.
With a smile, Ding Qiang was elated, congratulating himself on his cleverness.
"First the engagement. Grandma's health hasn't fully recovered, so the engagement banquet is postponed. As for the gift money, it still needs discussion with the elders!"
Kong Chengyi's sharp gaze stared at Ding Qiang's greedy expression, his disdain growing.
"Dad, are you marrying off our daughter or selling her? Engagements don't require deposits—that's for marriages, with betrothal gifts, okay?!"
Stomping softly in a coquettish tone, Ding Jia cried out at Ding Qiang. Yet her lowered gaze coldly warned him to shut up.
Muttering timidly, Ding Qiang nodded, then lowered his head to avoid Ding Jia's gaze, quietly thinking this daughter wasn't someone to be taken lightly.