The moment Cheng Yan walked through the door clinging to He Zhou’s arm, Cheng Yu saw the triumphant smirk on her face and knew she had also been reborn.
“Mom, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend, He Zhou.”
He Zhou was a male sent-down youth from the city. Within less than three years in the countryside, his outstanding performance had earned him a promotion to captain of the sent-down youth brigade. In 1983, when the college entrance exams were reinstated, He Zhou was among the first group to be recalled with the sent-down youth organizations.
In her previous life, Cheng Yu had married He Zhou and moved back to the city with him, becoming an official’s wife who lived a life free of worry, much to the envy of many. To outsiders, she had a son and a daughter, a complete and happy family. In reality, He Zhou had never touched her.
He Zhou had a “white moonlight”—a lover he had before being sent to the countryside. After returning to the city, he rekindled his romance with her behind Cheng Yu’s back and fathered two children. Gritting her teeth, Cheng Yu would rather raise another woman’s children than let go of He Zhou; she refused to divorce.
Until her older sister, Cheng Yan, came to the city to seek refuge with her. On a dark and windy night, Cheng Yan burst into the bedroom with a ferocious expression and plunged a dagger deep into her chest.
She hissed, “Cheng Yu! Why should your life be better than mine? Just why?!”
Cheng Yu looked down at her blood-drenched body and closed her eyes in agony. Because she died an unjust death, her soul did not dissipate.
Cheng Yan was arrested by the police for intentional homicide and sentenced to death. He Zhou, meanwhile, openly brought his “white moonlight” home and held a wedding with her. From then on, the family of four lived together in harmony.
Cheng Yu’s ghost released a powerful wave of resentment, which guided her back through rebirth.
So, now Cheng Yan was treating He Zhou like a treasure, thinking that marrying him would lead to the dream life she craved? Cheng Yu could only wish her “happiness.” She could not find it in her heart to pity the elder sister who had murdered her in her previous life!
“He Zhou is your boyfriend? Then what about Xing Yanheng?” Guo Fengyan pulled Cheng Yan aside in disbelief and whispered her question.
Cheng Yan was dead set on marrying He Zhou, so naturally, she had no intention of fulfilling the agreement with the Xing family.
“Mom, He Zhou is a college student. It’s only a matter of time before he returns to the city. His conditions are countless times better than Xing Yanheng’s. You can’t stop me from pursuing a better life!”
When Cheng Yan returned, Cheng Yu and He Zhou had not yet established a romantic relationship; they were just a bit more than ordinary friends. Thus, Cheng Yan seized the opportunity. Using the excuse of delivering meals to the agricultural machinery station, she spent time alone with He Zhou and confessed her feelings to him. To her surprise, He Zhou was also interested in her. Evidently, she wasn’t inferior to her younger sister; it was just that in the previous life, Cheng Yu had claimed him first!
“But we’ve already accepted the bride price from the Xing family. We can’t go back on our word,” Guo Fengyan said, her heart full of conflict.
“I don’t care. Anyway, I’m already dating He Zhou, and I won’t marry Xing Yanheng.” Cheng Yan was certain Guo Fengyan wouldn’t force her. She simply let things fall apart, dumped the trouble on the family, and followed He Zhou to his workplace.
Unable to control her elder daughter, Guo Fengyan approached Cheng Yu with a face full of sorrow.
“Xiao Yu, your sister insists on being with He Zhou. How about you take her place in the engagement with the Xing family?”
Cheng Yu’s hand stopped as she wiped the table. She gave her mother a small smile.
In her previous life, Cheng Yan had married Xing Yanheng, the most handsome man in the village but with the poorest family background. However, less than a month after the wedding, he died in a mining accident. Cheng Yan had fled back to her parents’ home, begging her father to take her in. Yet, with a single sentence—”a married daughter is like spilled water”—her father drove her back to the Xing family.
Cheng Yan struggled for twenty years until, finally, her affair with a village bachelor was discovered. Shamed, she sought refuge with Cheng Yu, only to end up murdering her in the end.
“The engagement with the Xing family was for my sister. How do I know if Xing Yanheng will even like me?” Cheng Yu was an “excess” child and was not valued in this home. She lived with her grandmother until she was eight; it was only after the fine was paid that her parents brought her back.
“Xing Yanheng has never even met your sister. It’s all the same to them which one of you marries in! Their family might be a bit poor, but they treat their daughters-in-law excellently. Mom wouldn’t hurt you!”
Cheng Yu smiled but said nothing. Fearing she might change her mind, Guo Fengyan called the man over to the house that afternoon.
First meeting.
Xing Yanheng was dressed quite decently. As the best-looking man in the village, his features were beyond reproach. Otherwise, Cheng Yan wouldn’t have been so determined to marry him in her previous life, even if it meant eating husks and wild greens.
Xing Yanheng was born with phoenix eyes. It was clear he was unwilling to go through with this arranged marriage. His handsome lips were pursed, and his high-bridged nose was slightly tilted, showing his disdain for this blind date.
Cheng Yu sat on the edge of her family’s kang, her gaze sweeping over his face before naturally looking away.
“Let’s go out to the yard and let the two of them chat privately,” the matchmaker urged everyone to leave the room, giving the two some space.
Cheng Yu spoke first. “If you aren’t satisfied with this engagement, you can tell your family clearly. I’m only meeting you to fulfill the agreement between our families. I’m not saying it has to be you.”
Xing Yanheng had excellent looks. Though his family was poor, he had grown up bathed in compliments. Before coming to the Cheng house, he had imagined many scenarios, but he never expected this kind of response.
“What do you mean? Our marriage was decided by our elders. Why should I be the only one to play the villain? If you’re not satisfied with this marriage, bring it up yourself!” Xing Yanheng gave Cheng Yu a proud, haughty roll of his eyes.
Cheng Yu couldn’t help but laugh. In her previous life, she had no contact with Xing Yanheng, only knowing him as a short-lived ghost. She hadn’t expected him to be not only articulate but also quite the haughty sort.
No wonder he went to work in the mines right after getting married in the previous life; he must have been dissatisfied with the marriage, which led to his tragedy.
“Xing Yanheng, are you a man or not? Don’t you want to save face? I can mention breaking the engagement to the elders, but what will people say about you afterward? That the Xing family is too poor and the Cheng daughter refuses to marry in!”
By the time Cheng Yu said this, Xing Yanheng’s expression had already soured.
But she didn’t stop. “I don’t care if I get a reputation for being materialistic, but don’t you care about the Xing family’s dignity? I know plenty of girls in the village like you, so you won’t have trouble finding a wife. If you’re really that confident, then don’t try to have it both ways! Let’s just end this cleanly so neither of us wastes the other’s time!”
Cheng Yu refused to back down, rebuking Xing Yanheng.
Thinking back to Cheng Yan’s previous life, wasn’t it because Xing Yanheng clearly didn’t like her but chose to marry her anyway that her life became so miserable? This short-lived ghost… it served him right! Trying to have his cake and eat it too—he deserved his fate!
Xing Yanheng’s temper flared at her words. He suddenly turned his handsome face toward her, his brow furrowed so deeply it could have crushed a fly.
“Hey, I say, what is it about me that you find so unpleasant? You started attacking me right out of the gate, making me out to be completely worthless!”
Cheng Yu kept the words to herself.
Because you’re short-lived, and because you’re a pauper!