A Promise Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold

“That scoundrel Lin Qi, all he does is boast!”
“How could Feifei have been fooled by someone like him…”
“What a misfortune for our family, such a misfortune…”
Though Lin Qi and Luo Feifei had already left for some time, the Luo household was still filled with grumbling and curses.
“Tong, you must come up with a way to teach that boy a lesson! Your family is wealthy, you can do it!” Father Luo suddenly turned to Tong.
Everyone else turned to Tong as well.
“Yes, that’s right, Tong, just get a few of your friends to give him a good beating, make sure he never pesters Feifei again!” Mother Luo chimed in.
“Ah, I…” Tong was flustered. His abdomen, where Lin Qi had kicked him earlier, still throbbed with pain, his organs twisted in discomfort.
After all, he had flown from the center of the living room to behind the sofa just moments ago.
How much strength must that have taken?
A few friends of his would never be a match for Lin Qi.
And besides, he’d already wasted a million trying to have Lin Qi taken care of before…
But faced with so many expectant eyes, Tong couldn’t bring himself to refuse. As he hesitated, a sudden inspiration struck him. “Mom, Dad, why are you in such a hurry? Didn’t Lin Qi just say he’d hold the wedding at the Divine Pearl Hotel on the fifth? Do you know what kind of place that is? He’ll never get in! When the fifth comes and he can’t keep his word, the rumors will collapse on their own, and Feifei will see his true colors!”
His words awakened everyone.
“That’s right, if he can’t fulfill his promise, Feifei will stop believing in him!”
“Yes, when the fifth comes and Feifei learns the truth, she’ll come home by herself!”
Everyone nodded, agreeing with Tong’s suggestion.
“Good, let’s do it!” Father Luo decided then and there. “Tong, you make sure your wedding is as grand as possible, let Feifei see for herself who is truly reliable—a man of action, or one who does nothing but talk big!”

“Don’t worry, Dad!” Tong replied, brimming with confidence.
As the son of a wealthy family, though his allowance wasn’t much, his first wedding would certainly be a grand affair with his parents handling it.
In Haitong City, in an ordinary residential complex—
Lin Qi brought Luo Feifei back to his own home.
For more than half a month, Luo Feifei had hardly eaten or slept, dark circles heavy under her eyes.
Lin Qi insisted she should rest first.
Obediently, Luo Feifei lay down on the bed.
“Get some sleep. From tomorrow on, you’ll be free,” Lin Qi said, sitting by the bed and smiling as he pulled the blanket up for her.
“Brother-in-law, why did you have to brag like that?” Luo Feifei suddenly asked.
“What did I brag about?” Lin Qi was puzzled.
“You told my parents you’d hold the wedding at the Divine Pearl Hotel!” Luo Feifei sighed. “That’s impossible…”
Lin Qi smiled. “How do you know it’s impossible?”
“Of course it’s impossible! That’s not a place just anyone can go! Brother-in-law, if you do this, it might feel good to say, but when you can’t deliver on the fifth, my parents will think even less of you. What will you do then…” Luo Feifei’s voice was full of helplessness.
But soon, her expression grew resolute. “Never mind, let them think what they want. After all, it’s me getting married, not them! As long as I know you’re a good man, that’s all that matters!”
With that, she made a fist and gave a little “cheer up” gesture.
Her cuteness made Lin Qi chuckle despite himself. He tapped her nose and said, “Alright, go to sleep. Whether I can keep my promise, that’s my business.”
“Mm…” Luo Feifei closed her eyes.
Lin Qi switched off the light, left the bedroom, and closed the door gently behind him.

On the balcony, he lit a cigarette.
He had originally planned to explain everything to Luo Feifei, to make it clear that “he couldn’t possibly marry her.”
But at the Luo family’s door, hearing their harsh words, feeling her loneliness and helplessness, and even hearing Father Luo threaten to tie her up, Lin Qi couldn’t hold back any longer. That’s why he did what he did, why he said what he said…
He felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into this.
But this time, Lin Qi didn’t regret it.
A man’s promise is worth its weight in gold. Since he said he would marry Luo Feifei—
Then marry her he would!
Lin Qi took out his phone and dialed Tang Long.
“Master, what can I do for you?” Tang Long’s voice was as gentle as ever.
“On the fifth of next month, I’m marrying Luo Feifei. The venue will be the Divine Pearl Hotel. Make all the arrangements. It has to be grand, extravagant—the bigger the spectacle, the better. I want the whole of Haitong City to be talking about it!”
“What?!”
Tang Long thought he’d misheard. It took him a long while to react, stammering, “M-master, with your identity, it’s not wise to be so high-profile. If that enemy from the capital catches wind of this… His influence and network have already spread to the south…”
“You have ways to avoid that, don’t you?” Lin Qi countered.
Tang Long fell silent, thinking hard.
After a long time, his voice grew resolute. “There are ways!”
“Good. The fifth of next month, Divine Pearl Hotel. Feifei and I will be there.” Lin Qi hung up.