On Mid-Autumn Festival, Ethan Calloway specifically invited Vanessa Caldwell’s family to Linjiang Hotel.
Just this one meal had almost burned through two months of his salary. It hurt, honestly hurt, but this was supposed to be about marriage, about the rest of his life, so he gritted his teeth and swallowed it.
What he didn’t expect was that Vanessa’s family would push him so hard he was seconds away from coughing up blood from anger.
“Auntie, you know my family’s situation,” Ethan said, rubbing his hands together, forcing a careful smile as he looked at Pauline Caldwell’s dark, unhappy face. “My parents already scraped together three hundred thousand for the betrothal money, and we’ve also prepared the down payment for the apartment. We still have the wedding to pay for after that. If you suddenly want us to buy a car too, and pay in full… I really can’t come up with that much right now. Could we maybe… slow this down a little?”
A few months earlier, he and Vanessa had already talked everything through. His side would provide three hundred thousand in betrothal money, plus the down payment on a two-bedroom apartment in Linjiang, and they’d get married by the end of the year.
But now, the moment everyone sat down today, her family changed the terms on the spot.
Not only did they want a car added to the marriage conditions, they wanted a three-hundred-thousand one, fully paid.
For Ethan’s family, which was barely getting by, that wasn’t a request. That was a mountain.
Pauline sat across from him, face drawn long, voice full of annoyance.
“It’s just one more car. Do you really need to act like this?” she said sharply. “You keep saying you love our Vanessa so much, but when it comes down to it, you won’t even buy her a car. Are you actually sincere or not? If you don’t want to marry her, then forget it. There are plenty of rich boys lining up for our Vanessa.”
She didn’t stop there.
“And let’s be real. These days, who gets married without both a house and a car? I already let the apartment thing slide even though you’re only paying the down payment. Now you’re unwilling to buy a car too? If word gets out, where exactly is our Caldwell family supposed to put its face?”
Ethan let out a bitter laugh.
His family background was ordinary at best. Years ago, his father had been injured on the job and had stayed home ever since. His mother sold steamed buns near the university district. As for Ethan, after graduating, he got work as an intern at a traditional medicine clinic.
To marry Vanessa, his family had already emptied out everything they had.
And still, it wasn’t enough.
Three hundred thousand might be pocket change to some big boss, no more than the cost of a dinner table. But for his family, even going years without spending would not make it easy to save that amount.
He stayed silent for a moment, then turned and lightly nudged Vanessa, who had been sitting beside him scrolling on her phone the whole time. He looked at her with a trace of hope, hoping she’d at least say something for him.
Vanessa finally put away her phone and looked at him, her expression cold, her tone even colder.
“Ethan, I actually think my mom makes sense,” she said. “I’m going to be part of your family in the future anyway. So why is it that when my mom asks you to buy a car, you suddenly won’t do it? Do you even really love me?”
The moment those words landed, Ethan felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured straight into his chest.
He had never imagined she would say something like that.
It would’ve been one thing if she refused to smooth things over for him. But instead of helping, she was questioning his feelings too.
At that moment, Howard Caldwell, who had been smoking beside them, flicked his cigarette butt onto the floor and spoke with obvious impatience.
“Ethan, I’m not going to waste words with you,” he said. “If you want to marry Vanessa, then this car is non-negotiable. Derek is getting married, and the girl’s family insists he must have a car.”
He paused, then added as if it were the most natural thing in the world,
“And one more thing. My thought is, your wedding with Vanessa can wait. Let Derek get married first. His marital home and the renovation costs still need to be handled, and you and Vanessa should help sort that out.”
“What?” Ethan froze.
For a second, he genuinely thought he had heard him wrong.
Derek Caldwell was Vanessa Caldwell’s younger brother. Since he was little, he’d been spoiled rotten. He hadn’t even finished middle school before drifting out into society, doing nothing serious. Lazy, picky, allergic to hard work—already well into his twenties, and still living off his parents like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Ethan Calloway had heard before that Derek was getting married. Back then, he’d even thought, if there’s anything I can do, I’ll help where I can. But he never imagined this family had already been eyeing him as the one to foot the bill.
And now he finally got it.
The sudden talk from Vanessa’s parents about buying a car? That clearly wasn’t for him and Vanessa at all. It was for Derek’s wedding.
“He’s the one getting married, so why should I be the one paying for it?” Ethan’s face darkened, anger surging straight up. “And how exactly am I supposed to solve his housing problem too?”