Three days seemed to pass in the blink of an eye after the joyous wedding celebrations. Master Gu had been laid to rest, while Li Chen and his radiant new wife Zhang Mei settled blissfully into their gifted marital home in the opulent UrbanNest villa community.

On this particular evening, the ringing of Li Chen’s phone disrupted their quiet evening routine.

"It’s my mother," he said to Zhang Mei with a smile before answering. "Hello, Mom."

"Chen! Your aunt and I miss you two already," Sun Lixia’s warm voice came through the line. "We simply must get together for a family dinner soon."

"Of course, that sounds wonderful," Li Chen agreed readily. "When and where?"

"Tonight, if you’re available? I’ve made reservations at Jade Palace for the whole family - your aunt, the Tangs, Ziyi, everyone. We have so much to discuss and celebrate still!"

"We’ll be there," Li Chen assured her. Ending the call, he turned to Zhang Mei with a grin. "Well, wife, it seems we’re going out on the town. Shall we?"

An hour later, the newlyweds pulled up to the prestigious Jade Palace restaurant in Li Chen’s sleek Burgundy Lamborghini, turning heads as the valet rushed to attend them. They ascended the grand staircase into the lavish dining room where their extended family had gathered at a pair of large circular tables.

Warm greetings and hugs were exchanged all around as Li Chen and Zhang Mei joined Sun Lixia, Li Xinjie, Li Yanyan, Mu Lingling, Zhu Fengrui, Tang Ziyi, Tang Junjie, and Madam Tang. The air was alive with cheerful conversation and laughter as they settled in for their celebratory feast.

"This is truly a night for happiness," Mu Lingling beamed, taking Zhang Mei’s hands. "My daughter, a bride at last! I still can’t believe it."

Zhang Mei blushed prettily as Li Chen gave her waist an affectionate squeeze. "Believe it, mother. Your Zhang Mei is now officially a Li."

"And soon to provide us many grandbabies to spoil," Li Yanyan added with a warm smile, drawing flustered laughs from the newlyweds.

"Not you too, Auntie!" Li Chen mock-protested, even as pride shone in his eyes at the thought of starting a family with Zhang Mei.

As menus were perused and wine poured, the conversation remained effervescent.

"Did you manage to book that European honeymoon you two desired?" Tang Ziyi asked curiously.

Li Chen nodded. "For two glorious weeks in June, kicking off in Paris then traveling through the countryside villas of Tuscany."

Tang Junjie’s eyes widened. "Just don’t get too carried away making grandbabies until you return. Those vineyards tend to inspire...amorous activities."

Laughter and catcalls erupted around the table as Zhang Mei blushed furiously, swatting her shameless friend’s arm. Even Madam Tang chuckled indulgently at her youngest son’s antics.

"Speaking of making honest people out of scoundrels..." She raised a pointed eyebrow at Tang Junjie. "When am I to expect grandchildren from you, young man? You’re hardly a spring chicken anymore at your age."

Now it was Tang Junjie’s turn to redden as snickers circulated.

"Mother, please! One family milestone at a time," he protested. "First I need to find a suitable bride. After that...well, I was hoping to use the settlement from the Gu family to buy a home finally. We can’t impose on the Li’s hospitality forever."

Sun Lixia waved a negligent hand. "Nonsense, you’re all family now! We have more rooms than we know what to do with. Stay as long as you need, Junjie. Having Madam Tang around keeps me nicely un-bored at least."

Tang Junjie’s eyes danced with both relief and amusement. "If you insist, Auntie Lixia. Though I can’t promise Mother won’t drive us all crazy eventually!"

The entire table roared with laughter as Madam Tang fixed her eldest son with a threatening glare. Plates of sumptuous delicacies began arriving as the festive dinner carried on late into the evening, filling the air with merriment and the bond of chosen family.

For Li Chen and Zhang Mei, it was yet another precious memory etched into the storybook start of their married life together - an experience made complete by the warmth and inclusion of their loved ones by their sides. No amount of opulence could outshine that.

The joyful family dinner was suddenly interrupted as the private room’s door burst open. In strode an unfamiliar man flanked by a woman and young man - they carried themselves with an air of entitlement and aggression.

Madam Tang, Tang Ziyi, and Tang Junjie immediately exchanged wary glances, recognizing this unannounced party. Sun Lixia set down her glass, fixing them with a cool stare.

"Can I help you?" she asked evenly, though her tone held a subtle challenge. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

The man spoke first, his voice clipped. "We saw you entering. We need to talk to you."

Li Yanyan arched one elegant brow. "And you might be...?"

"The Jiang family," the man stated flatly, as if those two words alone demanded deference.

Sun Lixia remained unmoved. "What do you want, Mr. Jiang?"

The man’s gaze swept dismissively across their group before snagging suddenly on Tang Ziyi. His eyes widened fractionally, body visibly tensing as he seemed to struggle to maintain his aloof composure.

Tang Ziyi, for his part, met Jiang’s stare impassively, though his jaw tight in subtle hostility.

Breaking the loaded silence, Madam Jiang spoke up in a tone laced with accusation. "You see, our daughter went missing..."

Li Yanyan’s brows hiked higher. "And what does that have to do with us, exactly?"

The words rushed out of the woman now. "I know she had developed some...feelings for Li Chen here. She disappeared the night before his wedding."

Li Chen frowned, objection written across his features. "And you thought you should ask us about this because...?"

Predictably, it was the young Jiang son, Xiaofeng, who rose to the bait - his face flushed with indignant rage.

"Because I know you Sun bastards had something to do with her disappearance! I just know it!"

At those venomous words, a tense hush fell over the entire room. Zhu Fengrui and Tang Junjie both half-rose instinctively until Sun Lixia extended a calming hand to them.

For several beats, only Master Jiang’s measured breathing could be heard as he fought visibly to regain control of his family’s demeanor.

"We know...what she had planned to do," he stated lowly, finally. "All we ask is that you return our daughter to us safely. Please, bring our girl home."

Sun Lixia’s expression remained inscrutable, though the steel in her gaze had intensified tenfold.

"With all due respect, Mr. Jiang, we are utterly confused by these accusations," she replied, each word precise and clipped. "Your daughter...had plans regarding my son, it seems. Yet you provide no details whatsoever, only outrageous allegations against my family."

She spread her hands in a gesture of bemused exasperation.

"I’m afraid we cannot be of assistance unless you are fully forthright with us. What exactly was your daughter intending to do that seemed to involve Chen? Only then can we endeavor to unravel this misunderstanding together."

The silence that followed hung thickly between both parties, tensions thrumming like a tautly stretched cable in danger of snapping at any moment. All eyes shifted from Sun Lixia’s controlled countenance to the Jiang family’s increasingly rattled stance.

The confrontation had quickly spiraled out of their control, leaving everyone to wonder just what storm was brewing on the horizon - and if they were all about to be swept up by the maelstrom’s fury.