From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

Before the auspicious hour, Mr. Ling had already sent someone to check on the groom’s whereabouts.

Unfortunately, the groom was nowhere to be seen, and Mr. Ling’s expression darkened.

When the auspicious hour arrived, everyone sensed something was wrong, but they still clung to the hope that he had simply been delayed.

But by the time all the guests had finished their meal, an hour past the auspicious time, the groom still hadn’t shown up.

The earlier festive atmosphere had vanished without a trace.

Some people, seeing that things were amiss, either left or made themselves scarce. Others gathered in small groups, trying to figure out what was going on.

When the auspicious hour came and Lu Zhijie still hadn’t arrived, the smile had already fallen from Ling Zhen’s face.

But unlike her parents, even without a smile, she remained incredibly composed.

”We’ll wait one more hour. If he’s still not here...”

’If he’s still not here, isn’t it obvious enough?’

The Lu Family had jilted her on her wedding day.

They had done it in the most humiliating way possible.

That hour was both the longest and the fastest of her life.

When the time was up, Ling Zhen took off her red bridal veil, walked out of the bridal chamber, and headed outside without a word.

Her destination was none other than Lu Zhijie’s house.

The Lu and Ling families used to be neighbors, living in the same alleyway.

Later, when the Lu Family’s fortunes improved, they bought a Western-style house and moved out. It was about a half-hour’s walk from the Ling Family’s home.

By bicycle, it was only a ten-minute ride.

Ling Zhen got on her bicycle, with Yu Zhengqing and Su Li hurrying to follow her.

Mr. and Mrs. Ling watched their daughter go. They didn’t stop her. Instead, they personally began explaining the situation to their guests, though not much needed to be said.

Relatives, neighbors, and friends grabbed whatever was at hand and set off after Ling Zhen.

If the Ling Family was going to be disgraced by this, there was no way the Lu Family was getting away with their reputation intact.

They were all people of standing; the Lu Family wasn’t going to get off easy!

The members of the Ling Family and their supporters marched toward the Lu residence, a massive, sprawling procession.

The first to arrive at the Lu house were Ling Zhen, Su Li, Yu Zhengqing, and Little Tang Mo.

Compared to the Ling residence, the Lu house was cold and deserted. It looked nothing like a home preparing for a wedding banquet.

Ling Zhen walked into the Lu’s yard and saw Lu Zhijie sitting on the front steps, his face etched with misery.

When Lu Zhijie saw Ling Zhen, a flash of panic crossed his eyes before he calmed himself.

”Why?” Ling Zhen looked at Lu Zhijie, her voice unnervingly calm.

She had come all this way just to ask him that.

Pain flickered in Lu Zhijie’s eyes. ”After what happened to you last night... even though you said you escaped, all our relatives and friends are gossiping about whether you’re still...”

He didn’t have to finish. The meaning was clear.

”Because you’re afraid I’ve lost my innocence? Is that why you’re doing this?”

Ling Zhen felt as though she had just heard the world’s biggest joke.

Lu Zhijie’s face was twisted in anguish. ”I can’t spend the rest of my life living under those kinds of stares, having to defend your innocence.”

Last night at the police station, Mrs. Lu had already started having second thoughts. On the way back, hearing relatives whispering behind their backs, she found it unbearable.

Even if Ling Zhen was truly innocent, they couldn’t possibly welcome her into the family amidst such gossip!

People would talk about this for a lifetime. When they had children, people would even question if they were really from the Lu family.

It was simply intolerable!

”Dressing up so flashy all day, something was bound to happen sooner or later!”

”Anyone else in her situation would have tried to hide it, but not her! She had to go and report it to the police, making sure everyone knew.”

”If no one knew, our Lu Family could have just gritted our teeth and accepted it. But what are we supposed to do now?”

”Our Lu Family will absolutely not accept such a tainted bride!”

These were Mrs. Lu’s exact words. Lu Zhijie and Ling Zhen had been together for years. Despite his pain, he hadn’t thought of breaking up with her.

But his parents had already made the decision, and after hearing all that talk, a seed of disgust had been planted in his heart.

’Even if she kept her innocence, who knows how much she was touched or kissed?’

Lu Zhijie thought of the patients he’d seen at the hospital, and his stomach churned even more.

Before dawn this morning, Mrs. Lu had gone to notify all their relatives one by one that the wedding was off.

Lu Zhijie wanted to stop her, but in the end, he said nothing, tacitly approving his mother’s actions.

Mrs. Lu felt Ling Zhen had brought shame upon the Lu Family. Instead of formally breaking off the engagement, she chose this humiliating, slap-in-the-face method to announce to everyone that the Lu Family would not accept a ”tainted” bride like Ling Zhen.

While the Ling Family was hosting their bustling wedding banquet, the Lus were going house to house, telling people not to come.

Ling Zhen looked at the empty Lu house, then at Lu Zhijie, and suddenly burst into laughter.

For the first time, she realized how much of a stranger Lu Zhijie was to her.

”How ridiculous...”

Ling Zhen couldn’t stop laughing. It was laughter, but every sound was filled with anguish.

”Sister Ling Zhen.” Su Li rushed forward and grabbed her arm.

Unlike Ling Zhen, Su Li, beyond her anger and resentment, was actually breathing a huge sigh of relief.

’The process is brutal, but it’s better than marrying him only to be disgusted by him later.’

”You should be glad you saw his true colors before you married him.”

Su Li took Ling Zhen’s hands, forcing her to look at her.

”Sister Ling Zhen, you’re lucky. You should be grateful you saw all of this before you walked down the aisle.”

Su Li shot a sideways glance at Lu Zhijie, her eyes full of contempt.

”A man like that doesn’t deserve you. You deserve the best.”

Lu Zhijie never expected Su Li to say something like that and was furious.

”What nonsense are you spouting? Who the hell do you think you are?!”

”You shut up! Who do you think *you* are? You’re nothing! Less than nothing!”

The contempt in Su Li’s voice and eyes was palpable, as if just looking at Lu Zhijie would soil her.

”Even talking to you makes me sick, so shut your mouth before I puke right here!”

Lu Zhijie had never been spoken to like that, nor had he ever been on the receiving end of such an utterly contemptuous gaze. He was overcome with uncontrollable rage.

”You’re the ones who are dirty! You’re the ones who are disgusting! Touched and groped by that disgusting man!”

Su Li and Yu Zhengqing didn’t need to hear another word; they were about to rush forward and attack him, but Ling Zhen was faster.

She grabbed Su Li and Yu Zhengqing, stepped forward, and delivered a heavy slap across Lu Zhijie’s face.

”Pah!”

As Lu Zhijie stared in disbelief, Ling Zhen spat right at him.

Lu Zhijie exploded with rage and raised his hand to strike back, but in the next second, Su Li grabbed a handful of his hair and went at him.

”You dare raise a hand? Pah! I’ll beat you to death!”

”Move, Su Li, let me!” Yu Zhengqing yelled anxiously. He pulled Su Li back, and with a single kick, sent Lu Zhijie flying.

This was only the beginning.

”What kind of man are you? What kind of thing are you? I’ll kill you!”

Yu Zhengqing couldn’t control the primal fury coursing through him and began kicking Lu Zhijie relentlessly.

Amidst Lu Zhijie’s agonized howls, Ling Zhen watched and suddenly began to laugh.

This laugh was brilliant and dazzling.

Dressed in her wedding gown, Ling Zhen stood in the sunlight, so beautiful that no one could look away.

It was the most beautiful smile, one of a phoenix rising from the ashes, reborn in fire.

Su Li and Yu Zhengqing, who had turned to look, were stunned by the sight of her.

Even Lu Zhijie, writhing in pain on the ground, couldn’t help but stare, transfixed.

The sight of Ling Zhen, so beautiful and radiant at that moment, and Su Li, so happy for her, was a jarring contrast for Mr. and Mrs. Lu, who had just returned home.

”Zhijie... You... How dare you hit Zhijie! Ling Zhen, you bitch, I’ll kill you!”

Seeing Lu Zhijie’s miserable state, Mrs. Lu’s eyes went red with fury, and she lunged straight at Ling Zhen!

Just as her hand was about to touch Ling Zhen, Mrs. Lu was struck in the head by a club that came flying from behind.

”You dare try to hit my daughter?!”

Mr. and Mrs. Ling had arrived with their relatives and friends.