With his hands sped behind his back, Hans bellowed with a forceful intensity, striving to salvage his


    reputation.


    His intent was to turn Millie into aughingstock within the town. Moreover, ruralmunities tended to


    be lenient with boys and strict with girls.


    In the countryside, gossip could be a lethal weapon. Once, in this very town, a girl who was found


    exiting a widower’s room was branded as indecent. Young and unable to withstand the crushing weight


    of the rumors, she tragically took her own life not long after.


    Hans aimed to besmirch Millie’s reputation, tarnishing her family’s standing before her grandmother’s


    return and ensuring their ostracism.


    Millie, however, responded with a scornfulugh, deciding to withhold any effort to save his face.


    “Then, I sincerely wish you a swift discovery of a suitable daughter-in-w. However, most men around


    Rnd’s age in this town are already married with children who can toddle about. Why is Rnd


    without a girlfriend? Didn*t you boast of your annual earnings amounting to hundreds of thousands?


    Why would these young women opt for ordinary families over yours? By the way, I’ve heard whispers


    that when your wife struggled to conceive, you visited the andrology department for a check-up, after


    which she miraculously became pregnant. One wonders if your ailment might have a hereditary


    inclination.”


    Hans simmered with rage, his impulse urging him to deliver a p to Millie, Discussing such topics was


    taboo among men, and he hadn’t anticipated Millie’s audacity to publicly insinuate his son’s


    inadequacy.


    Deep within, Millie harbored a sense of remorse towards Rnd. She had been driven mad by his


    father’s provocation.


    Hans shot Millie an incensed re, ying his ultimate card.


    ninjanovel


    “Yet the verdict remains unknown. Millie, the town’s premier student and its crowning jewel, weds an


    indigent youth with nothing to his name. As the adage goes, men fear selecting the wrong upation,


    while women dread marrying the wrong man. You’ve be quite the disappointment, Millie.”


    A shockwave rippled through the crowd.


    “Millie’s married? And to a pennilessd?”


    “What a pity! She’s both striking and well-educated. Even the fat girl in town secured a more desirable


    husband. It seems she trulycks wit.” Hans continued his onught.


    “Her husband hails from destitution. Behold, everyone in town owns a car. How did Millie return, you


    ask? She arrived in a shabby minibus. The couple can’t even afford a modest car. What a spectacle.”


    Married to a poord? Millie’s eyes narrowed, perplexed by Hans * assumption.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Scanning her surroundings, Millie caught sight of Laurel.


    Laurel undoubtedly knew Millie had married into the Thomas family, yet here she stood, arms folded,


    relishing the spectacle.


    It must have been Laurel who divulged the falsehood that Millie married a poor boy.


    In truth, Millie deemed marrying a less affluent individual inconsequential. Poverty wasn’t inherently


    dreadful; it was ack of ambition that posed the true concern.


    However, in this antiquated rural setting, society would undoubtedly brand her as unintelligent, aligning


    perfectly with Hans’ intentions.


    As Millie maintained her silence, Hans presumed his victory and basked in self-satis faction.


    Indeed, Millie was busy formting her retort.


    “Ha ha, look at you, Millie. Once a celebrated top student in town, your former female ssmates, who


    lagged behind you academically, have now surged ahead. Many of them merelypleted high school


    and resigned themselves to domestic life. Yet today, they’ve outpaced you. I’ve heard whispers that


    your spouse isn’t exactly handsome.”


    Just as Hans reveled in his perceived victory, a voice rang out from the crowd, disrupting the narrative.