The sudden voice made the originally joyful atmosphere at the scene instantly awkward to the extreme. Everyone looked at Qin Shuran with horror.
Liu Qianze, who had just stepped onto the stairs, paused, his footsteps stopping.
Old Master Qin, with a loving expression, looked displeased. Qin Hongguo, standing beside him, glared at Qin Shuran, "Shuran, what nonsense are you spouting?! You need to understand your identity and know where you are!"
Then, Qin Hongguo explained to the confused crowd, "My daughter may not be ready and is a bit nervous about the engagement, so she misspoke. Please don't worry, the Old Master's birthday banquet and my daughter's engagement banquet will proceed as planned."
"This is a major life event, after all. Nerves are inevitable."
"Old Master Qin, congratulations. Today is a double celebration for the Qin family."
Many people chimed in, and the awkward atmosphere gradually dissipated.
However, just as Liu Qianze was about to walk towards Qin Shuran again, Qin Shuran spoke again, "I'm not nervous, and I didn't misspeak. I will not marry this hypocrite."
"What?!"
"Hypocrite?!"
Instantly, the crowd looked at Liu Qianze in astonishment.
They didn't understand why Liu Qianze's fiancée would say such a thing.
Liu Qianze's face turned extremely ugly. He hadn't expected Qin Shuran to publicly refuse the marriage in front of so many people! He felt as if his face was burning, and the gazes of those around him were like slaps hitting him.
"Shuran! It seems I've spoiled you too much. Do you still have any respect for the Qin family?! Or for me, your father!" Qin Hongguo's face turned cold, and he glared at Qin Shuran angrily.
"Dad, do you know what kind of person he is? Marrying me to him is pushing me into a fiery pit!" Qin Shuran pointed at Liu Qianze and questioned.
"Slap!"
Qin Hongguo raised his hand and slapped Qin Shuran across the face.
Silence fell over the scene.
Everyone watched the scene in disbelief. They hadn't expected that during a birthday banquet and an engagement banquet, a time that should have been filled with joy and celebration, such a thing would happen.
Chen Fan, standing in the crowd, clenched his fists tightly upon seeing this, his eyes filled with heartache.
"Shuran, no matter what misunderstandings there are between you and Liu Qianze, those are past matters. What couple doesn't argue? I hope you two can live in harmony in the future, and I hope you understand that at this moment, you represent the entire Qin family, not just yourself." Old Master Qin's voice also slowly sounded.
He said this to make the guests believe that this was just a minor argument between Qin Shuran and Liu Qianze, minimizing the impact of the incident.
"Shuran, I may have done some bad things before, but don't worry, once we are married, I will devote myself to you wholeheartedly." Liu Qianze came to Qin Shuran's side and said.
Qin Shuran ignored Liu Qianze and looked at Old Master Qin, saying, "Grandpa, I'm sorry, but I already have someone I like."
"And, I'm already living with that person."
Boom!
Qin Shuran's words exploded in the crowd like a bolt from the blue, astonishing everyone.
"Miss Qin actually has someone she likes? And is already living with that fellow?!"
"Who is that person? Daring to compete with the Liu family for someone, that fellow doesn't want to live anymore!"
"Damn, so Young Master Liu is still not married and already has a cuckold?"
"Impossible, right? The Qin family has such strict upbringing, how could they allow their juniors to be involved in such a matter?"
Old Master Qin's body trembled slightly as he leaned on his cane, furious, "Shuran, as a young lady, do you even know what shame is when you say such things!"
Qin Hongguo's face turned cold, "Shuran, is what you're saying true?"
Qin Shuran looked at the grim-faced Liu Qianze, "He knows my situation best. Because he rented a room opposite us."
What?!
Everyone turned their horrified gazes to Liu Qianze. This matter had simply shattered their worldview!
His fiancée was living with another man, and he himself had rented a room opposite them?!
Wasn't this just watching someone put a green hat on him while he stood by?
For a moment, everyone became interested in the identity of the mysterious man. They all wanted to know who he was, daring to cuckold the young master of the Liu family. It was probably impossible to find another person with such audacity in the entire Hua Nan Province.
"Shameless! Qin Shuran, you're about to disgrace the Qin family completely!" Qin Yuyan glanced at Qin Shuran and scolded.
Qin Hongguo looked at Liu Qianze and asked, "Qianze, is what Qin Shuran said true?"
At the scene, Liu Qianze was undoubtedly the one with the most unpleasant expression. All eyes were now on him.
A cold glint flashed in Liu Qianze's eyes. When had he, Liu Qianze, ever suffered such humiliation?! Been disgraced in front of so many people?!
He had already decided in his heart that no matter what, he would marry Qin Shuran. Once he obtained Qin Shuran and completed that family matter, he could then severely humiliate Qin Shuran and make her a dog, kneeling before him every day!
Liu Qianze forced a smile onto his face, "Uncle, this is not true. We both work at the hospital. The room she lives in is a two-bedroom suite. I arrived late, so I stayed in the apartment opposite them, but they were just sharing rent."
Qin Hongguo's expression improved slightly.
Qin Xiaodong also spoke up to reprimand Qin Shuran, "Shuran, stop this nonsense. As a girl, what you just said is utterly shameless!"
"You need to know that your surname is Qin, this is the Qin family, and you want others to laugh at our Qin family?"
Looking around, Qin Shuran felt utterly helpless, tears streaming down her face. She knew that she could not escape the constraints of her fate.
The vast Qin family, her grandfather, her biological father, her half-brother, her sister, and even her entire family were all pressuring her for the sake of the so-called Qin family honor. She now deeply missed the years when she and her mother depended on each other.
Although that period was difficult and arduous, at least her mother was there.
If her mother were still alive, she would never have allowed her to become a sacrifice for the family.
"Qianze, put the ring on Shuran and take her to her room to rest," Qin Hongguo ordered.
Liu Qianze quickly nodded, took out a ring box from his pocket, and opened it. A dazzling ten-carat diamond ring appeared before everyone's eyes.
Many girls looked at the diamond ring with envy.