Chapter 1 — Destroying the Wedding Party

The day before New Year's Eve, my fiance and I made an appointment to register our marriage. Halfway there, he suddenly stopped the car and said to me:

"Lo Lo, although we said we would give 120,000 as a bride price, but that's not the case, the expenses you spent during our relationship must be deducted from that."

After speaking, he took out a notebook, inside was filled with the money he had spent on me.

"In the past five years, thirty thousand was deducted from my birthday gift. Every time we go out to eat, we split the money in half, deducting twenty thousand. Last time you asked for strawberries, deducted again..."

I widened my eyes and couldn't help but have a big argument with him. Unexpectedly, he immediately kicked me out of the car, leaving me wearing a thin shirt standing in the cold wind for two hours. I was completely cold-hearted and called my brother:

"Brother, I won't get married anymore. Bring someone over to ruin my wedding party!"

1. I met Manh Minh Trach in a singing competition at university. At that time I was in my third year, in charge of being the MC for the program, and he was one of the contestants. But that day he sang terribly, completely out of tune. He later told me that it was because he fell in love as soon as he met that he was confused, so he sang out of turn like that. I was made fun of by him, and the two of us quickly became close. After a loud confession, we officially got together. This year is our fifth year together. After both families met, we finally decided to register our marriage the day before New Year's Eve. When I thought everything was going well, Manh Minh Trach suddenly stopped his car in the middle of the street and turned to look at me.

“Lo Lo, can the bride price be reduced?”

Looking at his awkward expression, I suddenly had a bad feeling.

"What do you mean? Haven't the two families agreed on the bride price a long time ago?"

Actually, I don't want to mention this, because when discussing the bride price, my parents and his family almost had a big argument. My family is quite wealthy and has a small company. Initially, my side asked for 200,000 dowry, then a dowry for a house and a car. But the Manh family did not agree. I knew that Manh Minh Trach's parents were both farmers and didn't have much money, so I proactively acted as a mediator. Finally, the bride price was reduced to twelve thousand. After that, Manh Minh Trach said he would wait until after registering the marriage to give the bride price. To give your family peace of mind, I also agree. But I didn't expect that, right on the way to register the marriage, he would want to lower the bride price! I of course don't agree.

"In order for your family to save some money, I almost had a big argument with my family. Now you mention the bride price to me, isn't that a bit too much?"

Seeing my eyes turn red, Manh Minh Trach began to panic.

“Lo Lo, I didn't mean that!”

He hesitated for a moment, then took out a small notebook.

"If it doesn't reduce, then that's fine. Then let's deduct all the expenses you spent on me during the five years of our relationship from the bride price."

He opened the first page and began listing each item like treasure:

“In the past five years, I gave you five birthday gifts, eight Tet gifts, and more lucky money, a total of fifty thousand, minus everything.”

"Also, we ate out fifty-two times, even though you also ate, we still divided it in half, minus another twenty thousand."

Outside In addition, there was also car fare when he came to visit me, money to go to the movies, even the salary he was deducted when he took time off to take care of me when I was sick - all included in the bride price!

“…The total is ninety eight thousand zero one hundred and two, I'll round it up, minus ten thousand. Give me the remaining twenty thousand as a bride price, okay?”

He looked at me expectantly. As for me, I almost burst out laughing because I've never seen anyone "round up" in such a paradoxical way! I took a deep breath, tried to suppress my anger, opened my mouth and said:

“Meng Minh Trach, if you admit now that you were joking, I can forgive you.”

Manh Minh Trach was stunned, but instead stuffed that notebook into my hand.

"Lo Lo, I'm not kidding, see for yourself! We're in love and you spend all this money from me, and now you even ask for 120,000 dowry, isn't that mining?"

He spoke indignantly, but was afraid of my anger, so he carefully pulled my hand back.

"I know you're not that type of girl. Don't worry, although the bride price is only 20,000, but after getting married, I will give you all my salary cards to keep, so will you feel secure?"

His eyes were still gentle as always, but I felt like he was just painting. The bride price of 120,000 was deducted by him until there was only 20,000 left, so after getting married, wouldn't all the expenses fall on me? I immediately snatched my hand back.

"No way! If it's clearly said to be 120,000, it must be 120,000, not even a penny short!"