“Qiaoan, this afternoon Auntie will take you to the Civil Affairs Bureau to process the divorce. Tomorrow you’ll meet Young Master Wang for a match make sure you behave well and don’t let anything slip!”
“Your father and I are doing this for your own good. In terms of family background, how is Young Master Wang inferior to Fu Chen? The Fu family has already fallen. If you don’t hurry up and divorce now, once the authorities start investigating, you won’t even be able to leave him. You might even get dragged into labor reform with him.”
Song Qiaoan ignored her stepmother’s nagging outside the door. She stared at the pregnancy test report in her hand, her mind going blank for two full minutes.
She had been reborn.
In her previous life, her father, in order to climb up the Fu family’s social ladder, even drugged his own daughter.
In a daze, Song Qiaoan ended up sleeping with Fu Chen. In that special era, once a man and woman had relations, they had to get married otherwise they would be publicly criticized.
But just as they got their marriage certificate, the Fu family was investigated.
In the ensuing political purge, Fu Chen’s father was imprisoned, and Fu Chen, along with his family, was sent to Jiangcheng for labor reform.
Seeing this, her father immediately turned his back on them, afraid of being implicated. After forcing Song Qiaoan to divorce, he even submitted a report to accuse the Fu family.
Later, as the situation tightened and the Song family realized they couldn’t escape scrutiny either, her father used the same trick again sending Song Qiaoan to Young Master Wang’s bed to build connections.
But this Young Master Wang was a pervert with violent tendencies. After marriage, she suffered endless abuse and was beaten to death within two years.
The Wang family were all high-ranking officials. Song Qiaoan’s death caused no ripple at all her body was stuffed into a sack and thrown into the wilderness, as if feeding stray dogs.
Meanwhile, her scumbag father and stepmother had already used the Wang family’s connections to evade investigation, fleeing with money and living carefree lives for the rest of their days.
In the second year after Song Qiaoan’s death, the Fu family was rehabilitated. That same year, the Wang family was anonymously reported, their crimes exposed, and all those involved were imprisoned.
The Wang family’s eldest son was sentenced to death.
Memories of her tragic past flashed through her mind like a slideshow. Song Qiaoan shivered all over, her hand trembling as she held the pregnancy report.
She was pregnant.
In her previous life, the moment she found out she was carrying Fu Chen’s child, she told her family.
They forced her to divorce in the morning, abort the child in the afternoon, and still go on a blind date the next day.
Right now, the timing of her rebirth wasn’t ideal. The Fu family had already fallen, and she had already abandoned Fu Chen but thankfully, the child in her womb was still there.
Song Jianren didn’t know about this yet. She had to keep it hidden.
She couldn’t abort the child, couldn’t remarry she had to find Fu Chen!
Song Qiaoan turned and opened the door. Her stepmother, Zhang Meilan, stood outside with a fake smile.
“You’re ready? Then let’s go handle the divorce first. Your father has already arranged everything. With the Fu family convicted, it’s fine if the man doesn’t show up.”
As she reached out to pull her, Song Qiaoan shook her off coldly and stared at Song Jianren the father who had personally pushed her into hell in her previous life.
She dug her nails into her palm, suppressing the overwhelming hatred, and said word by word:
“Even if I get divorced, I will never marry Wang Shichang.”
“What did you say?!”
Song Jianren suddenly raised his head, clearly shocked by her tone.
This daughter had always been timid and obedient, always following his arrangements. This was the first time she had ever resisted.
“This isn’t the old society anymore. My marriage is my own decision. I don’t like Wang Shichang I will never marry him!”
“Nonsense! Look at the current situation! If you don’t cut ties with the Fu family, are you trying to bring disaster to our whole family?”
“You’ve already slept with Fu Chen you’re practically a second-hand woman! The son of Secretary Wang doesn’t mind you and is willing to take you in that’s your great fortune! And you still dare to be picky? Have you thought about the consequences of offending the Wang family? Are you trying to get all of us killed?!”
Song Jianren slammed the table. In the past, this would have frightened her but now, Song Qiaoan showed no fear, her eyes full of disdain.
“Wasn’t it you who forced me to go on that blind date in the first place? Why is it my fault now?”
“I just didn’t want to go on a blind date how does that become ‘killing the whole family’? If the Wang family is so terrifying, then what kind of intentions do you have, trying so hard to match me with Wang Shichang?”
“You… unfilial brat! Are you trying to anger me to death?!”
Song Jianren’s face turned ashen, pointing at her, unable to speak.
Zhang Meilan, watching the father and daughter argue, felt her expression shift.
When did this girl become so sharp-tongued? Before, even if she was dissatisfied, she would only throw small tantrums and could easily be coaxed.
Why did she seem like a completely different person today…?
Could it be that even a meek person has their limits?
“An’an, your father is doing this for your own good.”
She gently patted Song Qiaoan’s back and said earnestly, “People from the neighborhood committee have already come asking several times about our relationship with the Fu family. If you don’t cut ties soon, next time the task force might drag you off for labor reform!”
“The Fu family was among the first to be purged. If our turn comes next…” Her voice trembled as she forced out a couple of tears.
“Your father and I are old it doesn’t matter what happens to us. But we can’t drag you down with us.”
“Secretary Wang holds real power. If you marry into his family, you’ll become part of a revolutionary household who would dare gossip about you then?”
She spoke with such sincerity, tears in her eyes. If Song Qiaoan hadn’t been ruined by them in her previous life, she might have believed it.
She gave a faint smile, staring so intently that Zhang Meilan almost lost her composure.
“I’ve heard Wang Shichang has a chaotic private life, with countless lovers. If he passes some dirty disease to me, I’d rather not die early.”
“This…”
Zhang Meilan’s lips twitched as she forced a reply, “Those are just rumors. Besides, you’re no longer pure yourself what decent family would want you? Young Master Wang doesn’t mind you you should be grateful.”
Song Jianren cut in impatiently, “Why waste words with her! Song Qiaoan, let me make this clear you must agree to this marriage with the Wang family!”
“Your brother is about to take the college entrance exam. His future education, marriage, buying a house what doesn’t require money? If you don’t marry, what happens to his future?”
“That’s right, Qiaoan. Jiabao is the only son of our family, our pillar! As his older sister, who else should help him if not you?” Zhang Meilan quickly chimed in.
“If you please your husband well, even a little from between his fingers will be enough for Jiabao to marry. Once your brother succeeds, he can support you you’ll have status in your husband’s family!”
Song Qiaoan’s face turned cold as her gaze swept over the two of them.
One was her biological father, the other her gentle stepmother.
In her previous life, she had been cowardly and foolish, treating these two beasts as family, trusting them unconditionally, believing they truly had her best interests at heart.
Until after her marriage, when Wang Shichang abused her, and she dragged her bloodied, broken leg into the bathroom to call her father.
All she got in return was his impatient voice: “Get lost, useless thing. If you die, you deserve it.”
The call ended. The bathroom door was smashed open. The man held an iron rod in his hand.
That time, Song Qiaoan didn’t resist.
Pulling herself out of the memory, she stared at the two of them, her fingertips trembling.
In this life, she would make them pay.
Every scheme, every step they took to destroy her she would repay it all, bit by bit.
“If you want me to marry into that family, fine but I have one condition.”