Chapter 256 Xu Wenhua Arrives Home to Propose Breaking Off the Engagement

As the sun set and night quietly fell, the old oxcart finally came to a slow stop at the village entrance.

With great effort, Xu Wenhua lifted the heavy luggage and dragged his legs, which felt as if they were filled with lead, slowly making his way towards the door of his home, step by step.

At this moment, the entire village is decorated with colorful lanterns, creating a festive atmosphere and exuding a strong New Year's spirit.

However, this lively and peaceful atmosphere failed to dispel the gloom that shrouded Xu Wenhua's heart.

Children chased and played in the street, and firecrackers went off one after another, creating a lively atmosphere.

Reaching his front door, Xu Wenhua took a deep breath and pushed open the gate.

A burst of laughter and chatter came from inside the house, indicating that the family was having dinner.

"Wenhua? Why are you back?" Xu's mother was busy in the kitchen when she heard familiar footsteps coming from the doorway.

She subconsciously looked up, and when she saw that the person was her youngest son whom she had been thinking about day and night, she was so surprised that she stood up straight.

At the same time, Mr. Xu, who was sitting in the living room watching the children play, and Mr. Xu's elder brother and sister-in-law, who were teasing the children, all turned their heads at the same time.

Their gazes first fell on the slightly tired figure at the door, and then an undisguised look of surprise appeared on everyone's face.

"Wenhua, come in quickly! Just in time for dinner!" Mr. Xu was the first to react, and he quickly stood up, waving to his son with a big smile.

Xu Wenhua forced a smile and slowly stepped into the house.

The round dining table was laden with a variety of delicious dishes, their aromas filling the air.

"You're back? You didn't even call home to let us know so we could have picked you up."

As Xu's mother deftly served her son a bowl of fragrant rice, she asked him with concern.

Xu Wenhua slowly sat down, lowered his head slightly, and replied in a deep voice, "Mom, I was on a mission and accidentally got injured, so I thought I'd come back to recuperate first."

Mr. Xu frowned, his face full of worry, and asked urgently, "Injured? How did you get injured? Where are you hurt? How serious is it? Let me see!"

Xu Wenhua lowered his head slightly, avoiding his father's concerned gaze, and replied softly, "Dad, don't worry, I'm fine now. I just need to rest for a while."

After saying that, she thought of returning to break off the engagement, so she mustered up her courage, took a deep breath, and said with a solemn expression, "Dad, Mom, actually, I came back this time not only to recover from my injury, but also to discuss something important with you two."

Upon hearing this, Xu's mother quickly put down her chopsticks and asked with concern, "Son, what's wrong? Tell me quickly!"

Xu Wenhua slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over his parents, brother, and sister-in-law before he slowly said, "I met a girl in the army named Chen Mengmeng."

“We get along very well and like each other, so... so I want to marry her.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the once lively room fell silent. Everyone seemed to be frozen in place, as if under a spell.

Especially Xu's father, whose face instantly darkened, his eyes fixed on his son, coldly questioning, "Wenhua, what exactly do you mean by this? Have you forgotten that you already have a fiancée?"

Mother Xu also became anxious: "Wenhua, you can't do this! Our family's engagement with the Shen family was already arranged, how can you go back on your word?"

The eldest brother of the Xu family frowned, his tone reproachful: "Wenhua, aren't you making our family lose face by doing this? How are we going to explain this to the Shen family?"

Xu Wenhua hung his head like a child who had done something wrong, his heart filled with a bitter taste that was hard to describe.

His lips trembled slightly as he finally mustered the courage to whisper to his parents, "Dad, Mom, I know this is really hard for you to accept."

"But there is absolutely no affection between me and Shen Junqi. I really don't like her. And I'm not willing to just settle for this kind of life."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Xu's face turned ashen. He slammed his fist on the sturdy wooden table in front of him, and with a loud bang, the bowls and chopsticks on the table almost tipped over.

He glared at her, his face contorted with rage, and shouted, "This is utter nonsense! Marriage is such an important matter, how can it be treated so casually as if it were child's play? Your actions have not only disappointed Miss Shen, but have also brought shame upon the entire Xu family!"

At this moment, Xu's mother's eyes were also blurry with tears, and her originally rosy eyes were now bloodshot.

Her voice was slightly hoarse as she sobbed, "Wenhua, how can you be so unreasonable? You were the one who personally agreed to the marriage with that girl from the Shen family, but now you're going back on your word. How are we supposed to explain this to her?"

Xu Wenhua slowly raised his head, his eyes revealing unwavering determination. He looked directly at his parents' faces and replied without hesitation, "Dad, Mom, actually, I only agreed because I had no other choice at the time."

"I truly cannot marry a woman I don't like at all. After all, such a marriage would be extremely unfair to both me and Shen Junqi."

Mr. Xu was so angry that he trembled all over. He pointed his finger straight at the door and roared hoarsely, "You unfilial son, now you know you don't like her!"

"Didn't you know you didn't like her when you got engaged?"

Xu Wenhua lowered his head and said, "I know, but I thought I would never meet someone I liked, so it wouldn't matter who I married, and that's why I agreed."

"So you've met another woman outside, fallen for someone else, and that's why you're thinking of coming back to break off the engagement." Mr. Xu became increasingly angry as he spoke.

"Get out of here right now! From this day forward, I'll pretend I never had a son like you!"

Xu Wenhua silently stood up, gazed deeply at his parents with a complex and affectionate look, and then, without saying a word, resolutely turned around and walked heavily towards the outside.

With the soft sound of the door closing gently, a suffocating silence fell over the room…

"How could this happen? Eldest son, you must go and check on him right away. It's getting late, where could your brother have gone?" Mother Xu said, wiping away her tears.

“Let him go, and I’ll pretend I never had this son,” Mr. Xu said angrily.