"Are you guys on a group-discount vacation? This hotel is indeed the most expensive hotel here, and staying as a group is more budget-friendly. Although our town is small, it's famous for hikers, so accommodations can get expensive around this season." Lizzy continued.
Group-discount vacation???
Each of them wore a stunned and confused expression.
"The owner of this hotel is actually a relative of my husband," Lizzy said, a hint of bragging in her tone.
"I-I see... Actually, we just got back from hiking, and we're all tired. Anyway, congratulations again," Nina said awkwardly, forcing a smile.
"What do you mean by expensive hotel? Have you never stayed in any four- or five-star hotels?" one of their friends spoke up. "It just so happens there's no other better hotel here, so we have no choice but to stay here."
Yeri immediately nudged that friend.
Perhaps this Lizzy woman simply couldn't help flaunting that she had married into money. In such a rural area, it was indeed something she could boast about.
Lizzy waved her hands. "Don't misunderstand. I'm not boasting or anything. I'm just really happy to see someone from my old school."
Just then, more people came over, and a guy with yellow hair approached, hugging Lizzy from behind like a hooligan.
"Wife, where are you running off to? Don't you know you can't escape from me in this town? I run this place."
Lizzy immediately blushed, lowering her head.
Yeri and the others couldn't have been more uncomfortable, feeling a secondhand embarrassment so intense it was almost physical.
What kind of third-rate drama are these two pulling off in broad daylight?
Daisy turned away and made a gagging gesture.
"I just saw some familiar people, classmates from middle school," Lizzy then explained, gesturing toward Yeri's group.
The yellow-haired guy frowned at first, but upon taking a closer look, he realized that these girls were actually very good-looking. Not to mention, they were dressed in high-end designer fashion.
"City girls, huh?" one of the groomsmen chimed in, leering at them from head to toe. "Is it true that city girls are wild and unrestrained?"
Levi stepped in front of the girls, his eyes turning cold. "No one would know you have no manners if you didn't open your mouth."
The guy immediately looked displeased and pointed at Levi, but the yellow-haired man stopped him.
"Stop. It's my wedding. Are you trying to cause trouble?" he said before turning to Levi with a condescending look. "And you, watch your mouth too. There have been plenty of city people who came here thinking they could disrespect us, only to regret it."
"Your friend was the one who disrespected my friends first," Levi said unfazed.
"Damn, these girls are really pretty. How about I take you girls out to experience rural life?" another groomsman said condescendingly. "I've tamed so many city girls who are spoiled and willful. Even my ex-girlfriends still couldn't get over me after just one night."
Daisy finally couldn't take it anymore and snapped. "Don't you have a mirror at home? I bet you haven't even been outside this town, yet you're talking about your experience. I've been to fifty countries, and all three of my ex-boyfriends drive Ferraris. What ridiculous nonsense are you bragging about?"
The man's face contorted as he pointed at Daisy.
Within moments, an argument broke out, attracting more and more people, including guests from the wedding.
Lizzy, wearing a wronged expression, whispered something to two elderly people who seemed to be her parents. They immediately rushed to the front.
"You young people are my daughter's classmates from middle school?" the old woman exclaimed. "Then you must be the ones who bullied my Lizzy! She returned to our village heartbroken and traumatized!"
"What?!" The yellow-haired man jumped in as well. "Who bullied my wife? She's mine now, so come out and apologize!"
"We never bullied anyone, and honestly, we don't even remember her," Nina snapped, unable to take the absurdity anymore.
"Hey, Lizzy, you're saying these girls are all from that wealthy school you attended?" Lizzy's brother asked.
"No, I only recognize the three of them," Lizzy said before leaning closer and whispering something to him.
Those whispers soon passed from one person to another, and their gazes began to change as they eyed Yeri's group like they had just stumbled upon a treasure chest.
An old man finally stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Here's the thing. Today is supposed to be a happy and celebratory day for our Lizzy and her husband, but your sudden appearance, her bullies, has ruined it. Worst of all, you've reminded her of the trauma she's tried so hard to forget."
He sighed before continuing.
"But I also understand that you were all young back then and perhaps impulsive. How about we take this opportunity to make peace with each other? As a token of sincerity, you can each gift our Lizzy fifty thousand dollars. We still have a few chairs available in the venue, so you can attend as guests afterward."
Yeri and the others couldn't have been more speechless.
Is this old man right in the head?
Why were they so unlucky as to encounter such crazy people in broad daylight?
And, moreover, fifty thousand dollars?
Although it wasn't exactly a staggering amount of money to them, it certainly wasn't cheap either. Besides, why should they give it to a complete stranger? Especially someone who was accusing them of something they never committed?
"Grandpa, I'm not trying to disrespect you, but what you're asking for is considered extortion. Doesn't the law exist here?" Nina angrily spoke up. "Also, I already said we don't even recognize her. If she was bullied, then where's the evidence?"
"Right. We were just passing by. What do you mean we ruined her wedding? She's clearly the one who approached us," Daisy chimed in.
However, they had clearly underestimated the shamelessness of some people, especially when money was involved.
"What do you mean by extortion? We're giving you a way out, and you refuse to take it? It's only fifty thousand dollars. Such an amount shouldn't be difficult for you rich kids," Lizzy's mother jumped in.
With tears that refused to fall, Lizzy said, "Nina, I'm just one of the many poor students at school that you couldn't be bothered to remember. But I used to really look up to you. My dream once was to become a lawyer. I remember your family is in finance, and Levi, your father is the Minister of Education. Yeri's family is in business, with Café Zhillion branches all over the country."
Hearing that, the relatives' eyes lit up even more.
"Who is Yeri? I remember going to the neighboring town just to hang out at Café Zhillion. Most rich kids hang out there. You're saying the owner of that café is here?"
Lizzy nodded, her eyes searching for Yeri.
Yeri, who had been standing behind Levi, quietly stepped forward.
"I don't know what kind of misunderstanding you people have about us, but we clearly didn't disrupt your occasion. The surveillance cameras in this hotel can prove it."
For a moment, silence fell.
Everyone simply stared at Yeri. Even the yellow-haired guy, who had been acting like his wife's devoted simp, stared at her as though he had just seen a woman for the first time.
It was Lizzy who finally broke the silence, a trace of grievance and hatred appearing in her expression as she looked at Yeri.
"Yeri, you still haven't changed. Still so aloof and indifferent while using your appearance to get whatever you want."
Yeri "???"
She was talking about the surveillance footage. How did the conversation suddenly turn to her appearance?
"Hmm, these people don't recognize Yeri?" one of the girls asked in surprise.
"Maybe because we're in a rural area. Most of them don't really bother with, or simply don't have the means to know, what's going on in the capital."
Meanwhile, the yellow-haired guy blinked, swallowed, blushed, and continued staring at Yeri.
"You're that Yeri my sister mentioned before?" Lizzy's brother asked proudly. "She said you're really promiscuous, but I'm just a simple and honest person. I don't mind if you're not 'clean' anymore. I can still consider dating you."
"It's pretty obvious that she's high-maintenance. Don't go broke simping over a woman," one of the groomsmen said before turning to Yeri. "How about you just pay for the emotional and mental damage you've caused? Also, if you go on a date with me, I could let you into an exclusive circle."
"I'm already engaged," Yeri said flatly.
Nina suddenly slapped her thighs as she remembered something. She leaned toward Yeri, whispered in her ear, then sneered at Lizzy.
"I remember now. You're that scholarship student who failed to maintain her grades because you were too busy chasing after wealthy good-for-nothing boys. It's not that we bullied you. You just set your sights on Yeri because the guy you had a crush on back in middle school was one of Yeri's biggest simps. I just didn't recognize you immediately because you used to wear thick glasses and were always gloomy."
Lizzy trembled, biting her lips as she glared at Nina.
Suddenly, her parents couldn't be bothered with the accusations anymore. They simply insisted on the money, becoming more and more unreasonable.
The others were the same, insisting that Yeri's group had disrupted the wedding and that they had to pay to make the bad luck go away.
"Who wants to attend some random wedding? Are you people out of your minds?" Daisy exclaimed.
"Security? Where's the security here?" Levi looked around.
"Bah! Just because you people have money, you think you can bully us poor folks? Where is the justice?" one elderly person suddenly cried before dramatically throwing himself onto the ground.
"Our Lizzy is an honest and hardworking girl. Did you really think we'd believe your words over hers?"
As the commotion escalated, some of the men even took the opportunity to pressure the girls into becoming their brides. Their parents immediately joined in, shamelessly playing matchmaker and jumping straight into discussions about family planning, inheritance, and future grandchildren.
Yeri was pushed behind Levi and Nina, even though she repeatedly insisted that she didn't need protection.
"Enough, all of you! I've already called the police!" Nina shouted, raising her phone. "This is harassment and extortion. We have everything recorded."
Another silence fell, followed by laughter.
The unreasonable group wasn't the least bit fazed. If anything, they looked even more condescending and arrogant.