Who knew that Su Tian wasn’t willing? There were plenty of people scheming around this engagement—like Su Lili. In the past life, jealous that Su Tian married well while she herself struggled—starving three days at a time, falling ill without money for treatment, only to lose her three sons and two daughters—Su Lili vowed that in this life, marrying Guo Zhiwei and giving him three sons and two daughters, she would show him how capable her womb was, proving that marrying Su Lili was a big gain for him.
Once Su Tian was reborn, Su Lili boldly moved in. Su Tian had originally heard that Su Lili was engaged to Guo Zhiwei and had rushed back, intending to warn her cousin that Guo Zhiwei was not someone to marry. Who knew that as soon as she got home, she’d hear Su Lili’s disgusting plans? Chen Xiaojun was a scumbag, and Su Lili could hardly not know. Snatching an engagement was one thing, but pushing Su Tian into a pit? That fake “sister” wasn’t worth it.
Seeing that things weren’t going as she had anticipated, Su Lili couldn’t linger. She had originally planned to match Su Tian with Chen Xiaojun, letting her suffer for marrying the wrong man. But Su Tian didn’t bite. Didn’t bite? Fine—Su Lili was about to marry Guo Zhiwei and live a life of luxury, with proper work and government rations. Su Tian refusing to marry Chen Xiaojun didn’t matter. The engagement had been stolen; the rest could wait until the marriage was officially done. Each day Su Tian didn’t marry, Su Lili felt uneasy.
With that in mind, Su Lili maintained appearances, explaining: “I came mainly to tell Aunt and Cousin that the eighth day of next month is an auspicious date. You must come to my wedding banquet!”
Su Tian, enjoying the spectacle, smiled: “Sure, I’ll come.” In her heart, she mocked Su Lili for being so shameless, thinking herself clever. Su Lili’s inner thoughts were dark and twisted, but she laughed cheerfully with pride: “I’ll be waiting!”
Su Tian nodded: “Okay.” Su Lili, giddy with delight, walked with a sway, unable to contain her happiness. Huang Guahua, furious, spat toward Su Lili’s boastful back and said to Su Tian in frustration: “You’ll find someone even better than her.”
Su Tian smiled and nodded: “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find someone better than Guo Zhiwei.” A man who could father children wasn’t hard to find; anyone would be better than Guo Zhiwei, who would end his line.
Huang Guahua wasn’t comforted, shaking Su Tian’s head in exasperation: “Is it so easy to find a man with conditions as good as Guo Zhiwei?” Before Su Tian could reply, she sighed: “I should have taken you to see Aunt together with Su Lili. You’re prettier—if you were there, Guo Zhiwei would never have looked at that dead girl Su Lili.”
Su Tian instinctively shook her head: “I’m not marrying!” In this life, she refused to jump into the Guo family’s pit, abused by them. When her arm was grabbed, the pain made her gasp: “Even if you wanted to marry, it’s none of your business. Tomorrow they’re bringing the bride price—just watch Su Lili enjoy it!” Su Tian saw through it but didn’t speak out. Whether she enjoyed it or not, Su Lili would still have to take her medicine…
Su Lili announced a good engagement, and wherever Su Tian went, people asked about her cousin’s fiancé. Envious of Su Tian’s cousin finding a good family, they wondered when Su Tian would marry. Su Tian brushed it off, not giving them a chance to gawk.
Su Lili, restless, deliberately showed off her watch and polished cotton shirt under the big tree where villagers liked to gossip. Many people gathered to praise her, and she even reminded anyone who touched the fabric not to soil it. Seeing Su Tian walking past, she called out: “Sister, come chat for a bit! Everyone’s talking here, you should join too!”
Su Tian waved her hand. Su Lili’s smug face was painful to look at. Others, seeing Su Tian prettier than Su Lili, teased: “Lili’s marrying into the city; you should find a good match for your cousin too, so you two sisters can enjoy city life together.”
Su Lili eagerly agreed: “Sure!” Just kidding! Even if someone introduced someone, she wouldn’t introduce them to Su Tian. Su Tian wouldn’t get to enjoy city life for two lifetimes. This life, Su Tian would stay in the countryside, marry a rural man, keep being scolded as a useless hen, toil from dawn to dusk, and barely survive. Forget big houses, cars, becoming a rich lady, eating delicacies, or buying luxuries.
People who enjoyed such things joked: “Su Tian, thank your sister—once she’s in the city, she’ll find a good family for you too.” Su Tian glanced at the hypocritically smiling Su Lili and refused the favor: “No need. I’ll find my own. She should just live her own life well—that’s better than anything.” Saying this, she left quickly, giving no one a chance to gawk.
Su Lili secretly pouted. Her own life would certainly be wonderful, even better than Su Tian’s past life. Just wait—let’s see what Su Tian could find on her own. Preferably Chen Xiaojun, the laziest, most notorious scoundrel in ten miles around; there would be no worse fate than marrying him. Too bad Su Tian didn’t fancy him.
But a determined woman afraid of a persistent man—if Chen Xiaojun wanted her, it wasn’t impossible. Thinking this, Su Lili narrowed her eyes, plotting mischief.
Before dark, Su Tian hurried home, seeing Su Lili and Chen Xiaojun walking one after the other, avoiding the villagers, heading toward the river reeds. She tilted her head, observing.
Seeing Chen Xiaojun’s ferocious expression, it seemed he had learned that Su Lili was about to marry and had come to confront her. Su Tian, wanting to watch the drama unfold, had the village kids help herd the ducks home, using the excuse of a missing duck to sneakily follow Su Lili and the others.
As soon as Su Tian got close, she overheard Su Lili scheming:
“You like Su Tian, right? Before, you held back because I’m her cousin. Now your chance has come. I’m marrying someone else—you can marry my cousin. She’s prettier and gentler than me. Marrying her won’t be a loss.”
Su Tian: “……” Holy sht!*
Shamelessly, Su Lili continued: “Without me in the way, you can openly court her. She’s easy to win over; just say a few sweet words, and she’ll definitely marry you.”
Su Tian hadn’t realized that in Su Lili’s mind, she was seen as a naive, gullible person. Too bad—Su Lili had miscalculated.
Chen Xiaojun, thinking of Su Tian’s fair and beautiful face, felt a shameful stir of desire. His rational mind reminded him of his purpose today; he wouldn’t let Su Lili’s betrayal go unpunished so easily.
“Our business has nothing to do with your cousin. You said you’d marry me, my parents know. Now you’re marrying someone else—do I just let it go?”
Knowing Chen Xiaojun’s nature, Su Lili didn’t waste words with him and directly said: “My bride price is 520. Can your family afford it?”
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell your fiancé about our relationship? You’re already mine. Will he be okay with wearing second-hand shoes?” Chen Xiaojun said, brimming with confidence.
“???” Su Tian, shocked, covered her mouth—so they had already slept together.
Su Lili was in deep trouble. If Guo Zhiwei found out, she wouldn’t have a good life. That beast, Guo Zhiwei, emphasized that a wife had to be pure. In the previous life, that night of their wedding, he even had a white towel laid out.
Thinking of that past life made Su Tian feel sick. She shook her head, refusing to dwell on that scumbag, not wanting him to ruin the good mood brought by her rebirth.