Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Back to the 80s: A Pampered Marriage
The thoughts of Zhao Ying'er’s family were quite simple. After all, the conditions of the Wu Family were evident; once Zhao Ying'er married into the Wu Family, she would have a life of comfort. For now, they decided to give the Wu Family a break and not mention it again.
There was no way around it; Chen Cui and the others knew very well that between Zhao Ying'er and Wu Feng, Zhao Ying'er was the passive one, subject to others' control. If Wu Feng truly did not intend to marry Zhao Ying'er, there was nothing they could do. They couldn't exactly hold a knife to Wu Feng's throat and force him to marry her, could they?
Not to mention that Wu Feng had made it clear from the beginning that he was interested in Zhao Jin and intended to marry her. This matter was handled by Chen Cui, who understood it better than anyone else.
Moreover, when Wu Feng came to deliver the Bride Price, Chen Cui had seen with her own eyes how he lingered outside Zhao Jin's family home. Fearing that Wu Feng still held feelings for Zhao Jin, Chen Cui felt extremely anxious.
After careful consideration, Chen Cui did not dare to share her findings with others. She neither wanted to become a laughingstock nor ruin Zhao Ying'er’s prospects for marriage.
Chen Cui stubbornly believed that regardless of the current situation, as long as Zhao Ying'er married into the Wu Family, everything would turn out fine. At that time, Zhao Ying'er would be incomparable to Zhao Jin.
What was the Qi Family? They were merely pretending to be affluent by borrowing money! Everyone in Willow Leaf Village knew how poor the Qi Family truly was.
The Wu Family was different. Chen Cui firmly believed that as long as Zhao Ying'er married into the Wu Family, she would have plenty of good days ahead.
However, before that could happen, both Zhao Ying'er and every member of her family had to suppress their anger and frustration; they could not afford to fall out with the Wu Family.
Thus, at this moment, when He Yun asked a question, Chen Cui's expression became particularly unpleasant, yet she refrained from saying anything offensive.
The amount of Bride Price given by the Wu Family was something all the Fellow Villagers could see; she couldn't just speak carelessly about it. The main culprit for the Wu Family offering such a small Bride Price was none other than Zhao Jin, who was walking over from a distance.
Seeing Zhao Jin appear, Chen Cui let out a cold snort and her gaze instantly sharpened.
Especially when facing Zhao Jin's genuine smile, Chen Cui's mood worsened even more.
She couldn't understand how Zhao Jin could be so fortunate. Clearly marrying into a poor family, yet the Qi Family was willing to go into debt for her sake, fearing that others would laugh at her.
Even though she knew very well that after marrying into the Qi Family, Zhao Jin would surely regret it daily and struggle with every meal. Chen Cui still couldn't help but resent Zhao Jin.
A tree has its bark; a person has their face. Zhao Jin's reputation was protected by Qi Zheng. In contrast, their family's reputation had been thoroughly trampled by Wu Feng.
Such a stark contrast, Chen Cui's heart was not big to begin with, so it was naturally difficult for her to brush it off easily, let alone laugh it off.
"Zhao Jin! How come you are here too?" The one who reacted even more than Chen Cui was the gritting-tooth Zhao Ying'er.
Zhao Ying'er had never thought much of Zhao Jin. At home, she was clearly the favored one; her grandparents always remembered to save her a portion whenever there was something delicious. In contrast, Zhao Jin could never enjoy such treatment.
Since childhood, Zhao Ying'er had lived this way. She firmly believed that she was better than Zhao Jin, that Zhao Jin could never compare to her. Even regarding the matter of marrying into the Qi Family, it was the same.
Because she did not want to marry, her grandparents forced Zhao Jin to take her place and marry into the Qi Family, right? And Zhao Jin, didn't she obediently go along with it?
This obvious fact lay before her; Zhao Ying'er felt proud and triumphant.
To her, Zhao Jin merely picked up a marriage she did not want and married a man she looked down upon, which led to the current situation.
Of course, if it weren't for the conspicuous Bride Price that Qi Zheng sent to Zhao Jin's Family, Zhao Ying'er would not have regarded Zhao Jin as a rival at all, let alone glance at Qi Zheng even once.
But unfortunately, Qi Zheng sent such an enviable amount of Bride Price. And coincidentally, Wu Feng, seemingly intentionally to humiliate her, only offered a meager amount of Bride Price when proposing to their family.
The glaring comparison caused a significant emotional gap in Zhao Ying'er. This completely made her hate Zhao Jin.
Zhao Jin was utterly confused, innocently facing Zhao Ying'er's cold sarcasm.
Stepping closer, Zhao Jin shot a sideways glance at Zhao Ying'er: "Did you leave your brain at home? How can I not come to my own sister's house?"
Indeed. Compared to Zhao Ying'er, Zhao Jin was the legitimate younger sister. Since Zhao Ying'er could sit here, why couldn't Zhao Jin show up?
With such a retort from Zhao Jin, Zhao Ying'er opened her mouth, her anger burning fiercely: "You should take a look at what your in-law family is like; how dare you show your face at the Wang Family! Aren't you afraid that the Wang Family, after seeing how poor your in-law family is, will disdain to acknowledge you as this embarrassing poor relative?"
"Ha! Although I know this is your true feeling, but rest assured, Zhao Ying'er, once you marry into the Wu Family, we will be completely unrelated. There will be no further contact or interaction. Whether my in-law family is poor or not has nothing to do with you."
This wasn't the first time that Zhao Jin had argued and clashed with Zhao Ying'er. She had gotten used to it and could easily retaliate with a series of comebacks without being defeated or crushed by Zhao Ying'er. "Who cares about compensation? Once I marry into the Wu Family, what I fear most is relatives like you coming over begging for handouts! Out of consideration for our cousin relationship, I would feel embarrassed not to give you even a bowl of water. Fortunately, you have enough self-awareness and don't dare to set your sights on my in-law family. Otherwise, I would be the first one to sweep you out with a broom. Acknowledging such a poor relative like you could ruin my reputation in my in-law family; wouldn't that be too unwise and embarrassing?"
When Zhao Ying'er made this statement, it was indeed bold and grandiose.
In order to ensure that Zhao Jin heard her, or perhaps to pretend to forget later, Zhao Ying'er deliberately raised her voice. She not only shouted for Zhao Jin to hear but also for everyone else present.
Faced with Zhao Ying'er's overly blind confidence, Zhao Jin scoffed and was too lazy to engage in a war of words with her, coolly replying, "Then I will wait and see."
Zhao Ying'er was naturally unafraid of being watched by Zhao Jin. She immediately lifted her chin, her face full of pride and boasting: "Alright, let's see!"
Seeing that Zhao Jin was not at a disadvantage, Qian Minmin initially did not intend to speak up. However, Zhao Ying'er's attitude was so unpleasant that Qian Minmin couldn't help but intervene.
Unable to endure any longer, she decided there was no need to hold back. After all, Qian Minmin had never been known for her gentle demeanor. Her fierceness was well-known.
Thus, as Zhao Ying'er basked in her self-satisfaction, Qian Minmin clicked her tongue twice and pretended to be curious: "If I hadn't seen the Bride Price sent by the Wu Family with my own eyes, I would really have thought that you found a great In-law family, Zhao Ying'er!"
Upon hearing Qian Minmin mention the Bride Price sent by Wu Feng, Zhao Ying'er’s expression darkened immediately.
Unexpectedly, Qian Minmin continued speaking: "Misunderstanding, a big misunderstanding! Everyone shouldn't take it seriously; just treat it as a joke and let it go! The girl is naive and speaks without thinking; even she wouldn't dare take responsibility for what she said."
Qian Minmin smiled apologetically at the guests around her. While she seemed to be exonerating Zhao Ying'er, in reality… she was thoroughly undermining her.
Being slapped down by Qian Minmin like this made Zhao Ying'er furious. She slammed her hand on the table and stood up angrily, shouting, "You are bullying me!"
"Oh? Listen to what you're saying. Where have we bullied you? From the very beginning, it was you talking to yourself! We were just here for the fun of it; we haven't even spoken a few words!" Zhao Ying'er's accusations were filled with anger, but Qian Minmin did not acknowledge them. She acted as if nothing had happened, remaining particularly calm.
The competition between Qian Minmin and Zhao Ying'er was clear-cut. Zhao Ying'er quickly realized this issue and turned to point at Zhao Jin.
"I'm not talking to you; I'm talking to Zhao Jin!" Zhao Ying'er faced Zhao Jin while directing her words at Qian Minmin. Just in terms of momentum alone, she had already lost.
Zhao Jin looked at Zhao Ying'er in disbelief. Did she think he was an easy target?
Indeed, that was exactly what Zhao Ying'er thought. After all, compared to Qian Minmin, she preferred to confront Zhao Jin.
However, Zhao Jin was no longer someone that Zhao Ying'er could casually point at.
Just as Zhao Ying'er pointed her hand, Qi Zheng coldly pulled Zhao Jin behind him for protection.
Facing Zhao Ying'er's hand, Qi Zheng's tone was very cold and firm: "Has no one taught you that pointing at people is very impolite?"
With this question, Qi Zheng almost directly questioned how Zhao Ying'er's parents raised their child. Zhao Ying'er understood, and of course, Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui understood as well.
Moreover, the crowd watching, as long as they weren't fools, all understood Qi Zheng's implication.
It was undeniable that compared to Qi Zheng and Zhao Jin, Zhao Ying'er's actions were indeed less likable. A girl who wasn't even married yet, shouting at her cousin like that—was she really a good girl?
Not to mention, it was well-known that Zhao Jin was to marry into the Qi Family in place of Zhao Ying'er. Given this context, Zhao Ying'er's attitude towards Zhao Jin appeared particularly ungrateful and unappreciative.
Without any hesitation or conflicting feelings, everyone leaned towards Zhao Jin and Qi Zheng. In contrast, the looks directed at Zhao Ying'er clearly carried disapproval and doubt.
Chen Cui was someone who could read the room. Once she noticed the crowd's disapproving gazes, she quickly stood up and pressed down on Zhao Ying'er's hand: "Let's speak properly. We're all family; why are we shouting?"
Chen Cui's pressure on Zhao Ying'er's hand was gentle. However, her glare towards Qi Zheng and Zhao Jin was filled with dissatisfaction.
As an elder, Chen Cui reproached Qi Zheng without courtesy: "Ying'er is just a girl; she's also Jin's sister. How can you, a grown man, intimidate Ying'er? What if you scare her? That's unacceptable."
"Who is really being unreasonable here? Chen Cui, are you being a bit unreasonable?" Xu Mei was absolutely satisfied with her son-in-law Qi Zheng and undoubtedly defended him. Seeing Chen Cui starting to act superior due to her age again, Xu Mei immediately became displeased and stood up.
"Chen Cui, you're indeed in the wrong here." If only Xu Mei had spoken up, Chen Cui might have held her ground. But with He Yun joining in, Chen Cui's fighting power instantly diminished.
He Yun rarely spoke in front of the Zhao Family.
At one point, following Chen Cui's words, He Yun looked down on the Zhao Family and thus didn't bother to talk to them much.
But that didn't mean He Yun was invisible in the Zhao Family. Nor did it imply that He Yun's words held no weight in their eyes.
Not just Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao; even Chen Cui herself felt her heart sink upon hearing He Yun clearly siding with Xu Mei.
She thought that even if He Yun was sitting here, he would at most turn a blind eye and not pay attention to their quarrel. After all, this was a matter between their family and the eldest brother's family, unrelated to Zhao Guoqing's family.
Moreover, they were both Zhao Guoqing's nieces; Zhao Jin was no closer than Zhao Ying'er. As a common elder to both, He Yun should not show favoritism, right?
However, the reality before her was enough to highlight that Chen Cui's previous thoughts were nothing but empty talk. He Yun did not treat them equally as she had imagined; instead, he clearly took a stance in favor of Zhao Jin...
For a moment, Chen Cui felt somewhat annoyed and unwilling.
This was too much! They were all sisters-in-law; didn’t He Yun think he was being too bullying? Just because he was a teacher, did he look down on their family for living in the county?
Chen Cui still had some reservations about He Yun, but Zhao Ying'er did not.
In Zhao Ying'er's fixed mindset, there were only two elders she needed to please: Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao. As for other elders, with grandparents around, who wouldn’t have to obediently endure scolding?
Uncle and Aunt were like that. The current Third Uncle and Aunt San were the same.
Thus, Zhao Ying'er completely disregarded He Yun and only clung to Chen Cui, complaining and acting spoiled: "Mom, Zhao Jin is bullying me again! This time she even brought her man to bully me!"
Zhao Ying'er was not shy at all; she only cared about her own feelings and completely ignored how others looked at her.
Chen Cui felt a moment of embarrassment and helplessness. If she could, she would have liked to scold Zhao Ying'er to shut up and say less—didn’t she see that things were getting more out of hand and it was impossible to clean up the mess?
But just then, before Zhao Ying'er could calm down, Zhao Lei exploded.
Zhao Lei had just run into his good buddies whom he usually hung out with. Before this, he had been chatting with them from a distance. When he realized something was wrong over here and rushed over, the situation had already escalated to the point where Zhao Ying'er was complaining to Chen Cui.
Thus, Zhao Lei naturally assumed that Qi Zheng and Zhao Jin were bullying Zhao Ying'er.
Zhao Jin could be forgiven; she had always been bullied by her sister while growing up and was definitely no match for her. However, with Qi Zheng added into the mix, he could really scare his sister into tears!
Holding onto this thought, Zhao Lei suddenly dashed over, standing in front of Zhao Ying'er and confronting Qi Zheng: "What? You want to fight? Come on! I've wanted to teach you a lesson for a long time!"
Zhao Lei is someone who is not afraid of trouble. At home, he is used to being the tyrant, and he behaves in a similarly high-profile and arrogant manner outside.
However, it seems he has forgotten that the current occasion and audience are different.
Firstly, this is the banquet celebrating the Wang Family's new grandchild, attended by relatives and friends who all know each other. Secondly, Qi Zheng is Zhao Lei's Brother-in-law, and Zhao Lei's behavior is quite inappropriate, which could be described as "ill-mannered."
In reality, Zhao Lei is very afraid of Qi Zheng. Standing in front of Qi Zheng, he doesn't even dare to move casually, let alone provoke trouble or start a fight.
The only reason he feels bold today is because his group of friends is present.
At worst, it would just turn into a brawl! Zhao Lei does not believe that with five or six of them together, they can't take down Qi Zheng!
Deep down, Zhao Lei actually wants to teach Qi Zheng a lesson and show him some color. Previously, when they encountered each other at Zhao Jin's Family gathering, the pressure from Qi Zheng was overwhelming for him, leaving Zhao Lei feeling intimidated and dissatisfied with Qi Zheng.
Seizing this opportunity, he intends to severely undermine Qi Zheng's authority! Otherwise, Qi Zheng might forget what his surname is!
More than losing face, what Zhao Lei cannot tolerate is Qi Zheng acting superior in front of him. Therefore, at this moment, Zhao Lei is determined to compete with Qi Zheng fiercely and assertively.
Is Qi Zheng afraid of Zhao Lei? Of course not. Standing before him is only Zhao Lei; even if Zhao Lei gathers a group of thugs for help, how many would dare to confront Qi Zheng? How many would dare to throw a punch?
Xue Long is one of those who would not dare to fight Qi Zheng.
Among Zhao Lei's group, the real leader is not Zhao Lei but Xue Long. And Xue Long happens to be the only son of Qi Zheng's maternal aunt.
In other words, Xue Long is Qi Zheng's cousin, the closest relative in terms of blood relation.
Although the relationship between Qi Xue and her Maternal Family has become distant since she got married, Xue Long has grown up somewhat estranged from the Qi Family. However, this does not mean that Xue Long dares to confront Qi Zheng.
Xue Long is fourteen years old this year while Qi Zheng is twenty-two. This age gap means that when Xue Long was still a toddler, Qi Zheng was already helping out with family work in the fields. Such a significant age difference ensures that Xue Long does not dare to act recklessly in front of Qi Zheng.
Moreover, Qi Zheng has always had a cold demeanor. People in Surroundings who know Qi Zheng—whether elders or peers—rarely dare to shout at him. Sometimes, just a glance from Qi Zheng can leave everyone speechless in an instant.
Xue Long, although used to being domineering at home and often causing trouble with Zhao Lei and his group, still felt fear and trepidation when facing Qi Zheng.
When he finally stood before Qi Zheng, Xue Long could only watch from a distance, too afraid to make any rash moves.
Zhao Lei, confident with so many good friends around, thought they could easily take down Qi Zheng. However, he overlooked the fact that Xue Long was Qi Zheng's cousin and did not realize that Xue Long shared his fear of Qi Zheng.
Even as Zhao Lei provocatively challenged Qi Zheng, he waited in vain for his friends to back him up.
Feeling a sense of unease, Zhao Lei turned to look at his usual companions who would fight alongside him.
To his astonishment, Xue Long remained at the forefront, but instead of charging in to help, he stood there warily watching Qi Zheng, showing no intention of assisting.
Could it be that Xue Long had suffered at Qi Zheng's hands before, which made him so cautious?
Just as this thought crossed Zhao Lei's mind, Chen Cui rushed forward. With arms wide open, he positioned himself in front of Zhao Lei and glared angrily at Qi Zheng. "What? Are you trying to bully us? Do you have no shame?"
Comment 0 Comment Count