Farming boy with a magic ring

"You… what are you doing?" Han Night pointed at Ethan and Yuyu in disbelief.

Zoe let out a helpless sigh. "Dad, this is Ethan. My… boyfriend."

Ethan smiled politely. "Hello, Mr. Han. I'm Ethan Yang. I run a vegetable business."

The crowd buzzed with excitement.

"Oh, this is getting good! A poor farmer versus a rich heir — real-life drama!" someone whispered.

"I bet that farmer doesn't stand a chance. In stories, the underdog wins, but this is real life. Han would never let his daughter marry some vegetable seller, especially with the Yu family involved." Another scoffed.

Just as the whispers grew louder, Yuyu tightened her grip on Ethan's arm and beamed at Han. "Right, Uncle Han! Ethan isn't just Zoe's boyfriend — he's mine too. Zoe and I made a pact: whoever she marries, I'll marry too. So, please don't let Zoe marry that four-eyed creep. I can't stand guys with glasses who pretend to be all refined but are full of bad intentions."

A ripple of embarrassment swept through the crowd as a handful of bespectacled young men quietly removed their glasses.

Han coughed awkwardly. "Yuyu, my dear, that was clearly a joke. You can't take these things seriously. Besides, if you like this…"

"Ethan," Leo Yu interrupted with a sneer, "the clueless vegetable seller who doesn't know his place."

"Right, right. Ethan," Han continued, forcing a smile. "If you like Ethan, you're free to be with him. But Zoe is my daughter. Her marriage is my decision."

Han was sweating internally. Yuyu Tang's background was no joke. Offending her would be a nightmare.

Yuyu pouted dramatically. "Uncle Han, why don't you think Ethan is good enough for Zoe? Is it because he's not 'outstanding' enough?"

Han felt the trap closing. If he said Ethan wasn't outstanding, he'd offend Yuyu. If he said Ethan was outstanding, then why refuse him? The old fox chuckled nervously. "I never said that. It's just that Leo and Zoe have known each other for years. Leo has always been there for her. Ethan… well, they only just met. Who do you think I should trust?"

Yuyu crossed her arms, pouting. "Hmm… that kinda makes sense. Sorry, Ethan, looks like your dream of having us both is over. Maybe we can get Zara involved — how about a threesome?"

The crowd erupted with laughter. Ethan yanked his arm free from Yuyu's grip, sighing. "Mr. Han, I agree with what you said. Yes, I haven't known Zoe long. But love isn't measured by time."

Before Han could respond, Leo stepped forward, his face flushed with alcohol and rage. "Enough with the speeches! Love needs action, not empty words." He sneered. "Let's settle this right now. A man proves his love with a ring. If your ring is worth more than mine, I'll back off. But if you can't match it, get lost!"

The crowd gasped.

"No way that vegetable seller can win!"

"He probably thinks Leo's ring is fake or something. Poor kid's about to get humiliated."

From the sidelines, Zara fumed. "This idiot! Why not challenge Leo to a cooking contest or something? Comparing wealth? He's asking to be crushed!"

Ethan shrugged. "Sure. You go first."

Leo smirked, pulling out a red velvet box. "Watch closely, vegetable boy. This is an ice-type jade ring, appraised by experts. Market price: 880,000 yuan!"

The crowd oohed and aahed as Leo opened the box. He turned it towards the audience with a smug grin. "See? Genuine ice jade. This is what real love looks like."

Suddenly, Han's face twisted in fury. "You… you dare propose to my daughter with pig dung?!"

The room fell silent.

Leo blinked. "What?" He looked down. His face drained of color. Inside the box, nestled in velvet, was a steaming pile of pig dung.

"W-What? No! It was a jade ring! I swear!" Leo stammered, panicking. "Uncle Han, please believe me. I don't know how this happened!"

The crowd erupted into laughter.

"Pig dung! What a proposal!"

Yuyu doubled over, tears streaming down her face. "Four Eyes, you're hilarious! Did you really think proposing with pig poop was romantic?"

Leo turned pale. "No! It was jade! Someone tampered with it!" He turned to Han, pleading. "Give me a moment — I'll buy another ring right now!"

But the damage was done.

An older gentleman shook his head. "The Yu boy got too cocky. Even if this was a mistake, it's an insult to the Night family. If I were Han, I'd never accept him as a son-in-law."

Another guest murmured thoughtfully, "Something's off. Leo looked genuinely shocked. Maybe someone switched the ring…"

Ethan just stood there quietly, watching the chaos unfold, a small smirk on his lips. He'd played his part. The rest was up to fate.