Chapter 702 - 243: The Bride Price Negotiation Fell Apart (Part 2)

’One hundred thousand?’ Mrs. Gao thought. Her family could accept that, though it would be painful. A bride price of a hundred thousand... if this were the Gao family of old, they wouldn’t have batted an eye. But for the family now, a hundred thousand was the most they could bear.

"One million," Jie Jingchen stated flatly.

Qin Mei shot Jie Jingchen a sidelong glance. ’One million was the same amount she’d extorted from that German Merchant, only she had demanded it in US Dollars. It felt like Jie Jingchen was copying her.’

Mrs. Gao’s pupils constricted sharply. Mr. Gao was stunned for a moment, and Gao Qiang’s face was a mask of shock. In that single, stunned second, the Gao family’s true feelings were laid bare.

"Jing Chen," Xu Jiali spoke up. "The Gao family can’t possibly come up with one million right now."

"Shut up," Jie Jingchen snapped, humiliating Xu Jiali without a second thought.

"Jiali, they’re discussing your marriage. Just listen quietly and don’t interrupt," Grandma told Xu Jiali.

Xu Jiali bit her lip and glanced at the Gao family’s expressions. ’This isn’t a marriage discussion,’ she thought bitterly. ’This is more like a deliberate attempt to sabotage it.’

The Gao family could probably scrape together one million if they tried. It would mean Grandma Gao having to sell off her jewelry. For a true daughter of the Qiao family, they would have gritted their teeth and paid it. But they were only marrying Madam Qiao’s niece. In their eyes, Xu Jiali wasn’t worth that much.

"One million is too much," Gao Qiang said feebly.

"Too much? I don’t think so," Jie Jingchen said.

Gao Qiang gritted his teeth. ’It might not be much for the Qiao family, but it’s a huge amount for ours. Jie Jingchen is obviously humiliating me—humiliating the entire Gao family.’

Gao Qiang shot Xu Jiali a pleading look, but she could only look back helplessly, her face etched with misery. Taking a deep breath, Gao Qiang turned to Jie Jingchen and asked, "Then... what about the dowry? How much will you provide?"

"We won’t be providing a dowry." Before Jie Jingchen could even finish his sentence, Qin Mei couldn’t stop a snort of laughter from escaping.

’Jie Jingchen had just accused the Gao family of trying to get something for nothing, but now it seemed like he was the one eyeing his aunt’s bride price,’ Qin Mei thought.

Mr. and Mrs. Gao were clearly agitated, but they didn’t dare show their anger.

’They’re demanding a one million bride price from our family, yet the Qiao family won’t offer any dowry? The Qiaos aren’t short on money, so why would they be after the bride price?’

’Are they testing our sincerity?’

One million was no small sum, and since they couldn’t fathom Jie Jingchen’s true motives, they didn’t dare agree rashly.

"Both the bride price and the dowry are customary," Mrs. Gao said.

"I’m not one to stick to conventions," Jie Jingchen replied.

"You’re marrying off a daughter, not selling one," Mrs. Gao retorted.

"Xu Jiali’s surname is Xu, not Qiao," Jie Jingchen reminded her.

Mrs. Gao was left speechless. She glanced at Xu Jiali, expecting her to be angry at Jie Jingchen’s remark. However, Xu Jiali simply sat with her head lowered, twisting her fingers, her thoughts unreadable.

Mrs. Gao shot a meaningful look at her son, but since Gao Qiang was sitting across from Xu Jiali and she wasn’t looking at him, he couldn’t give her any kind of signal.

Gao Qiang looked at Jie Jingchen. "Jiali grew up in the Qiao household, after all. The Qiao family isn’t short on cash, so you can’t possibly care about a piddling sum from a bride price."

"The Qiao family isn’t, but I am," Jie Jingchen said.

Gao Qiang stared at Jie Jingchen, baffled. "What do you mean?"

Jie Jingchen sneered, then turned to gaze at Qin Mei. His expression instantly softened, his eyes twinkling with a heart-stopping tenderness and adoration. "I’m married."

’Is he showing off?’

"And?" Gao Qiang asked through gritted teeth. ’Compared to Qin Mei, Jiali doesn’t stand a chance. Their beauty isn’t even in the same league.’

’If Jiali were as stunningly beautiful as Qin Mei, he’d rack his brains to convince his parents to agree, even without a dowry.’

"I haven’t given her a bride price yet." Jie Jingchen held his hand out to Qin Mei. With a captivating smile, she placed her hand in his. He squeezed it gently, and they gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes.

While Qin Mei’s gaze held a hint that she was merely playing along, Jie Jingchen’s was utterly sincere.

"So?" Gao Qiang asked.

"I’m going to take the bride price you give my aunt and use it for my own wife’s bride price," Jie Jingchen said without a shred of shame.

’...’ Grandma thought. ’This grandson of mine certainly has a promising future.’

Qin Mei covered her face. ’...’ ’This is so embarrassing,’ she thought.

Gao Qiang was speechless.

Mr. and Mrs. Gao were stunned silent.

The Gao family, in particular, were cursing Jie Jingchen internally. ’Have you no shame?’

Jie Jingchen lifted Qin Mei’s hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back of it. "Darling," he asked gently, "is one million enough?"

"The more the better. I’d never complain about the bride price being too high," Qin Mei replied with a devastatingly beautiful smile.