Lu Sisi observed everyone's expressions and tactfully declined, "Uncle Di, you really don't need to go to such trouble. I'll take you home safely and head back shortly."
"Back where!" Di Jianhan slammed the table with a stern expression, his anger flaring as he pulled her arm and pressed her onto the sofa. "Your house is gone, and you're just a lone girl. If I let you go back and people find out, they'll surely gossip about me!"
Realizing his tone was too intense, he softened his approach, coaxing, "From now on, this will be your home. When the time is right, you and Mingjue can have your wedding."
"What?" Di Mingjue looked at Di Jianhan with confusion.
Di Jianhan's gaze shifted to him, and he stated calmly, "Sisi is filial and understanding. She doesn't mind that you have children. Besides, the Di family's capabilities don't require a marriage alliance for business. Compared to those pampered young ladies who can't even touch spring water, Sisi is a more suitable daughter-in-law for our Di family."
Lu Sisi shyly clutched her clothes, stealing glances at Di Mingjue. This wasn't the first time she'd heard about marriage. After saving Di Jianhan, she knew that a man dressed in such expensive attire was either wealthy or powerful. It was precisely this point that made her willing to care for him tirelessly for so many years.
Di Mingjue let out a cold snort, as if hearing a joke.
Marriage, such a grand affair, was treated like child's play in his father's words – just pick an auspicious day and become husband and wife?
His gaze sharpened as he looked at Lu Sisi, speaking each word clearly, "I am already married. My wife is currently in the hospital recuperating from saving me, and it's inconvenient for her to meet you, her nominal father-in-law, at the moment."
Lu Sisi's expression instantly darkened, a palpable sense of disappointment washing over her.
Di Jianhan looked at the old lady suspiciously, "Mom, is this true?"
The old lady nodded, "Zi Yu is Mingjue's lucky star. As for Miss Lu, she can stay with the Di family as an adopted daughter."
Sensing the old lady's scrutinizing gaze, Lu Sisi quickly nodded in agreement, "I never intended to become Uncle Di's daughter-in-law. I'm already very happy that you're willing to treat me as a daughter. As for anything else, I truly don't care, and I don't want my presence to upset anyone else."
Hearing this, Di Jianhan felt particularly guilty. Disregarding the advice of others, he adamantly insisted, "So what if he's married? It's not like they can't divorce. I've decided Sisi is my daughter-in-law, and everyone else needs to step aside!"
Seeing his obstinacy, Di Mingjue lost all patience. "I will not divorce. If you are so insistent on giving her a better title, why don't you marry her yourself!"
*Smash!*
The cup, along with the water, struck Di Mingjue's forehead.
The old lady grabbed her cane and jabbed furiously at Di Jianhan's arm, "What are you doing?"
"You've spoiled him rotten, making him so disrespectful," Di Jianhan, his face flushed, berated the old lady.
The past four years seemed to vanish in that moment. Seeing his father's selfishness and prejudice, Di Mingjue's last vestiges of father-son affection dissolved.
"I'm going to the hospital."
With that, Di Mingjue turned and walked out of the front hall.
Taking the car keys from the driver, Lu Sisi, like a persistent shadow, followed him to the car.
"I'm sorry. If I had known it would cause you trouble, I wouldn't have come back with Uncle Di," Lu Sisi lowered her head, just as Di Jianhan described, attributing all the fault to herself with understanding.
However, she overestimated her own significance. Di Mingjue had never paid her any mind throughout. His anger was solely directed at Di Jianhan's actions.
He twisted the accelerator, and Di Mingjue leaned out of the car window, "It has nothing to do with you."