Billionaire's Long Journey of Chasing His Love-Chapter 269 - 255 Time to Call Him Husband (Second Update)
The lady in the blue dress sneered at her anxious demeanor before disappearing swiftly into the crowd.
King Muta was still speaking on stage, and the applause from the audience below continued unabated. Tong Airui held Yi Luowa close, the two leaning into each other with happiness.
"Next, I have another piece of good news to announce..." King Muta said loudly.
"Uncle, please wait! I have something to say!" Sasha hurried up onto the stage.
Royce’s face instantly darkened. "Sasha, what are you doing at a time like this? Get down!"
Sasha turned her head toward her aunt and exclaimed loudly, "Aunt, I must speak about something very important. It concerns Airui brother’s lifelong happiness."
"Get down!" Royce stepped forward to pull Sasha away.
Sasha took a step back and raised the phone in her hand high. "I only just found this out. The woman engaged to Airui brother is a sweeping star! If Airui brother marries such a woman into our family, the Aldrich family will be doomed!"
The audience went silent in an instant.
Tong Airui frowned and stepped forward.
Yi Luowa quickly grabbed his hand. "Let her speak. Let’s see how she plans to wrap this up!"
"She’s slandering you like this, and you want me to stand here idly and listen?" Tong Airui clenched his fists in anger.
Yi Luowa smiled slightly. "It’s not the first time someone’s slandered me. It’s better to resolve it all today so people won’t gossip in the future."
Tong Yao glanced appreciatively at the calm expression on Yi Luowa’s face and advised her son, "Listen to Luowa. Remain composed."
Tong Airui pressed his lips tightly together. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his mother holding his father back firmly, and his father’s fist was already turning white from the tension. If he reacted now, his father would surely lose his temper as well. If the two of them caused a scene, today’s engagement party would be ruined.
"Brother..." The Aldrich family members had gathered around. Tong Aino called out to Tong Airui.
"Let her finish, and then..." Tong Airui whispered a few words into Tong Aino’s ear.
Tong Aino nodded repeatedly, turned, and left the garden.
"You’re forbidden to spew nonsense!" King Muta roared, "Get off the stage!"
Sasha shook her head. "Uncle, how can you be this cold-blooded? Are you really going to stand by and watch this woman ruin the Aldrich family? From her birth until now, there have been eighteen car crashes in her family. She was present at every single one. They couldn’t survive in Z Country, so they came here. Uncle, I beg you to call off this engagement party!"
King Muta, his face flushing red with anger, raised his hand and slapped Sasha across the face.
Sasha stumbled and fell to the ground, clutching her rapidly swelling cheek as she wailed, "You hit me, but I still have to say it! By doing this, you’re handing the lives of the entire Aldrich family over to this woman!"
Royce and Sasha’s mother rushed forward, intending to help her up.
"Don’t help her up! If she wants to disgrace herself, let her continue disgracing herself here!" King Muta strode forward, pulling Royce aside with one hand. Sasha’s mother froze in place.
King Muta cast a cold glance over the crowd, picked up the microphone, and announced loudly, "The truth of this matter is that Luowa was framed by her ruthless adoptive mother, which gave her this undeserved reputation. However, before arriving in Xiawu, this issue had already been resolved. If anyone has doubts, they can look it up online. The Z Country police even held a press conference specifically about this matter."
As soon as King Muta finished speaking, the large screen behind him lit up, showcasing the live footage of the press conference.
The audience held their breath as they watched the screen. After the spokesperson finished recounting the events, the crowd collectively sighed in relief.
Sasha, still lying on the stage, was stunned. How was there more to this? Where was the person who had given her the phone? She needed to find someone to take the blame; otherwise, her uncle would never forgive her.
Sasha struggled to her feet, scanning the surroundings frantically for the lady in the blue dress. Yet that woman had seemingly vanished into thin air.
Panic-stricken, Sasha ran off the stage, determined to find that person!
"Where is the notary officer?" King Muta loudly demanded into the microphone.
Sasha, startled by the sudden shout, tripped and fell off the stage.
This time, Royce didn’t budge. He was entirely and utterly disappointed in his brainless niece.
Sasha’s mother rushed forward to help her up. Sasha’s face was now covered in blood from the fall.
"Mom—I was used!" Sasha sobbed as blood poured from her nose. She gripped her mother’s hand tightly and cried, "Quick, help me find a woman in a blue dress; she tricked me!"
"You were too impulsive!" her mother shook her head in exasperation and supported her daughter as they prepared to leave.
"Stop!" King Muta commanded angrily.
Sasha and her mother froze in place.
"After I announce the final matter, you will apologize to Luowa, and only then can you leave!" King Muta scanned the crowd. "Notary officer!"
Two notary officers carrying redwood trays briskly stepped onto the stage.
"Airui, Luowa, I must apologize to you both for my lack of foresight, which led to today’s incident. I hope this won’t ruin your good mood."
Tong Airui stayed silent, his face dark.
Yi Luowa smiled magnanimously. "Uncle Muta, today’s events can’t entirely be blamed on Sasha. She was looking out for our family’s best interests. Now that the matter has been clarified and everyone understands the truth, there’s no need to worry about future gossip. In fact, Sasha has done me a favor by resolving this."
Tong Airui squeezed Yi Luowa’s hand tightly. His wife’s words were perfectly timed; with this statement, no one would dare bring up the eighteen car accident incidents again.
Yi Luowa glanced at Sasha, her face bloody and swollen, then turned to King Muta. "Uncle Muta, you should let Sasha see a doctor. Otherwise, I would feel guilty seeing her injured because of me."
King Muta shook his head. "She hasn’t apologized to you yet!"
Yi Luowa smiled gently. "Uncle Muta, I’ve already let it go. Could I ask you and everyone here to do the same and pretend nothing happened?"
Royce exchanged a glance with his sister, and Sasha’s mother understood. She dragged Sasha over to Yi Luowa and addressed her, "Prime Minister Long Che, Duke Airui, Miss Luowa, I’m sorry. Please forgive Sasha’s momentary rashness."
"Does Sasha not have a mouth to speak with?" King Muta asked displeasedly.
Sasha’s mother quickly nudged her. Sasha, covering her nose, looked at Yi Luowa. In this moment, she was utterly disheveled while Yi Luowa stood radiant and poised. She hated it—hated why it was Yi Luowa standing by Duke Airui’s side.
Sasha’s mother nudged her daughter’s arm helplessly.
"Miss Yi, I’m sorry," Sasha said tearfully.
"From the moment the notary officers stepped in, you should address her as Mrs. Aldrich, not Miss Yi!" King Muta said sternly.
Both Sasha and Yi Luowa were stunned, turning to look at King Muta on stage.
King Muta smiled kindly at Yi Luowa before saying, "Notary officer, proceed."
One of the notary officers approached Yi Luowa with the tray, while the other respectfully handed over two small red booklets to Yi Luowa and Tong Airui.
"Congratulations to Duke Airui and Mrs. Aldrich. From today onward, your marriage is legally bound and protected by law."
King Muta was the first to clap, and the audience below quickly joined in applause.
Yi Luowa stared at the small red booklet in her hand—it was a marriage certificate! As soon as she recognized those three words, her vision blurred, and tears of joy welled up. Her happiness had come so suddenly. She had just been proposed to, then engaged, and now, here she was, an official Mrs. Aldrich.
When Tong Airui saw her tears streaming down again, he pulled her into his arms.
"Dear..."
"Call me husband now!" Teng Aini said with a chuckle as she handed Yi Luowa a tissue and wiped her tears. "Congratulations, brother! Congratulations, sister-in-law!"
"Thank you, Aini!" Yi Luowa’s smile was uncontainable. Whatever little doubts she had before were now completely gone. She and Tong Airui were truly one family now! She could rightfully live in the Duke’s Residence, and she could righteously sleep beside the ridiculously handsome man she loved.
"Airui, Luowa, I owe you two an apology for today’s incident. When Luowa graduates, I’ll host a grand wedding for you right here," King Muta said apologetically.
Long Che sneered darkly in response, "No need! My son and daughter-in-law will only have one wedding in their lifetime. You think you can ruin another one?"
King Muta chuckled awkwardly. "Luowa’s graduation is still far off. Let’s not discuss this now. Mr. Yi and the others, please come up on stage to join us for the next part of the ceremony."
Tong Yao pinched Long Che’s fingers and whispered to him. Long Che sighed, turning to Yi Weiyang. "Let’s head up."
Yi Weiyang was suppressing his own fury but kept it in check, saying, "It’s best if the elders go up first."
Teng Tianxiang grumbled, glaring at his son-in-law, "If something like this happens again, I’ll finish you off myself! What a goddamn disgrace!"
"Dad—" Tong Yao quickly shot her father a warning glance, embarrassed as his profanity slipped out.
Teng Tianxiang stormed toward the stage with Ouyang Beilei, shoving past Sasha and her mother without hesitation.
The guests gradually made their way onto the stage and took their seats.
Teng Aini smiled and said to Yi Luowa, "Let me hold onto the marriage certificates for you and my brother while you two go serve tea."
Yi Luowa reluctantly glanced at the red booklets in her hand. "Promise to give them back as soon as I return."
Teng Aini exchanged a knowing glance with her brother, and both of them laughed.
Tong Airui joked, "They won’t get lost. Let’s go up now. If we don’t finish this part, the guests will all have to starve."
Yi Luowa nodded, placing her hand in Tong Airui’s arm as they walked up the small stage together.
The master of ceremonies announced loudly, "The first tea offering is to Mr. Yi Weiyang, in gratitude for twenty years of raising the bride."
Twenty years? Yi Luowa’s thoughts stirred slightly, but she showed no sign of her inner turmoil as she accepted the tea bowl handed to her by a servant.
Seeing the two children approach him, Yi Weiyang quickly said, "King Muta and the other elders are here. You should offer tea to them first."
"Second Uncle, it’s the right thing to do. Without you, Luowa wouldn’t be here," Tong Airui said with a smile as he and Yi Luowa kneeled side by side on the cushions, carefully presenting the tea.
Yi Weiyang accepted the tea and took a symbolic sip.
A servant standing nearby immediately handed them a large red envelope that had been prepared.
