Captain Sun was annoyed: “Watch your words. If it weren’t for our Sun family’s generosity in coming up with this solution, what kind of family do you think a girl who’s been rejected could find?”
With a man backing her up, the Sun woman grew even bolder: “You’re just a girl who’s been rejected. Don’t be ungrateful when given face.”
Ma Wuni had truly never seen such bullying—especially not directed at her: “I haven’t been rejected yet. Your daughter hasn’t even secured her position. I, Ma Wuni, am skilled in both literature and martial arts. I’ll show you what kind of family I can marry into.”
Hearing this, Qian Jin couldn’t stay calm. He took a deep breath and glanced at Ma Wuni. Was she planning to go back to him?
Just then, Ma Wuni glanced at Qian Jin, and their eyes met. Qian Jin couldn’t read anything from her expression—he only felt his face flush and his heart race. She was actually looking straight at him.
Ma Wuni turned back to the Sun family: “Do you really think I’m easy to provoke? Do you think I, Ma Wuni, am so easy to scheme against? Your daughter has her eyes on the Qian family’s eldest son, who earns a salary outside, while the old couple tends the fields at home, supporting Qian Cheng’s studies for a better future. The Qian family lives well, so your daughter can enjoy a comfortable life. And your Sun family is also hoping to find an unpaid laborer for the household, right?”
Captain Sun, being a man who wouldn’t admit defeat even in the most embarrassing situations, couldn’t possibly acknowledge this: “There’s no other way, child. I’m really thinking of you. This is a win-win solution. If the second son can’t marry her, marrying the eldest—that would be too shameful if word got out. People in our village would be laughed at.”
Ma Wuni smiled. Such people deserved to have their plans backfire. She, Ma Wuni, wasn’t the type to sacrifice herself for others’ benefit.
Besides, there were actions that harmed others without benefiting oneself—and she was capable of those: “Your daughter has done such a thing, and you dare mention the word ‘shame’? If people in our village are laughed at, it’ll all be because of your shameless daughter.”
Then Ma Wuni declared: “It’s perfectly fine for the marriage between the Qian and Ma families to continue. I’m determined to marry Qian Jin. The two Qian brothers probably won’t get along anymore.”
Qian Jin didn’t know what he was feeling at that moment, but he couldn’t let Ma Wuni lose face. Since the Sun family had entered, Qian Jin, who hadn’t spoken a word until now, said: “Then it’s settled.”
Ma Jiye glanced at Qian Jin. Since the Sun family had arrived, this young man hadn’t said a word. He had thought that after being away for a few years, Qian Jin’s temperament had changed and he’d become timid.
But now, it seemed he was still capable. With just this one sentence, he had given his own daughter enough dignity and confidence. He had also shown great respect to Ma Jiye himself.
Ma Jiye slapped the table: “Then it’s settled.” He looked at Qian Jin, his gaze unusually gentle.
To be honest, Ma Jiye’s presence was far more imposing than Captain Sun’s.
Everyone in the room was stunned, shocked that Ma Wuni had settled her own marriage like this. Truly worthy of a family rumored to have produced a Wuzhuangyuan—a young woman daring to speak such words. She didn’t want the second son; she directly chose the eldest who earned a salary.
This had intercepted the Sun family’s unspeakable intentions. Everything they coveted now had an owner.
Some villagers also looked at Qian Jin. Wasn’t this young man being dishonest? Did he just agree to the marriage with one sentence? Had he been planning this all along?
But that couldn’t be. Would Qian Jin really take a fancy to a village girl? Besides, everyone who grew up with Qian Jin knew that he and Ma Wuni didn’t get along.
Before the Sun family could even speak, Qian Cheng’s mother spoke up: “Alright, alright, as long as Wuni becomes my daughter-in-law, whether it’s the eldest or the second son, I’m happy with either.”
She said this to placate the Ma family. If Ma Wuni married Qian Jin, they would all be one family, and she wouldn’t go to the school to report Qian Cheng anymore.
Moreover, this way, they wouldn’t have to settle accounts with the Ma family—the debts owed to the Ma family over the years were too tangled to sort out. The key point was that Ma Wuni was a girl Qian Cheng’s mother truly feared.
Qian Cheng was dumbfounded. Could things really turn out like this? With a swollen face, he protested: “No, I don’t agree. Wuni is my fiancée. We’ve been engaged since childhood, and we grew up playing together. Brother, what do you mean by this? How could you agree?”
Qian Cheng’s mother wouldn’t let her eldest son feel awkward and quickly stopped Qian Cheng: “Your brother is only doing this for you.”
Otherwise, would her eldest son be willing to marry Wuni, whom he had been at odds with since childhood? Her younger son was nothing but trouble.
Qian Jin was only looking at Ma Wuni. After agreeing to the marriage, his heart had been beating a little too fast. He had no mind to pay attention to Qian Cheng.
Qian Cheng was making a fuss. What did “doing it for him” mean? It was nothing but ambition. Qian Jin was even worse than he was.
Unfortunately, aside from Sun Yali, no one paid him any attention.
The Sun family hadn’t expected Ma Wuni to step in so boldly. This wasn’t part of the plan. How could Ma Wuni be so shameless as to settle the marriage like this? Wasn’t this just ruining everything?
With someone as fierce as Ma Wuni, if she really ended up with Qian Jin, would she still let him send his wages home for the whole family to spend? It seemed unlikely. Would her daughter have to suffer with Qian Cheng from now on?
Captain Sun was fuming, making one last attempt: “This is absurd and shameful. Our village would never do something so disgraceful. Qian Laoshi, you’ve been honest your whole life. You can’t let your children do something like this. The Qian family’s reputation can’t be trampled on like this.”
Not only the Qian and Ma families inside the house but even the villagers watching outside couldn’t help but sigh at Captain Sun’s words. Wasn’t what his daughter did even more shameful? At a time like this, he still wanted to morally pressure an honest man? How could he have the nerve to say such things?
Ma Wuni watched Captain Sun’s furious demeanor and felt a strange sense of satisfaction, cutting off any remaining hopes the Sun family might have had.
Turning to Qian Laoshi’s Wife, she struck a measured tone: “I’m not someone who can just settle for either Qian Jin or Qian Cheng from your family.”
Qian Laoshi’s Wife didn’t hesitate: “Wuni, if you have conditions, just state them. The Qian family will agree to anything.”
Ma Wuni: “Once this marriage is settled, your Qian Jin’s wages will be entirely in my hands. No one else will get a single cent.”
What Sun Yali wanted by marrying Qian Cheng was the Qian family’s wealth and a comfortable life. If Qian Jin didn’t send his wages home, wouldn’t they be just like everyone else in the village, struggling to make ends meet? And it would still be two years before Qian Cheng could finish school and get a job.
Sun Yali panicked: “What gives you the right?”
Ma Wuni sneered at Sun Yali: “Without any status or position, what right do you have to speak?”
Qian Laoshi’s Wife looked at her useless son Qian Cheng, then at the Sun family. These weren’t people who walked the path of kindness. In the future, this son would surely be controlled by his wife.
The key was Ma Wuni—she was truly someone Qian Laoshi’s Wife couldn’t control. If she didn’t agree, her younger son would surely suffer.
No one understood Ma Wuni better than the pragmatic Qian couple, and they knew exactly what kind of person she was.
Qian Laoshi’s wife nodded and agreed to Ma Wuni’s conditions: “Alright, that’s fair. From now on, all the money Qian Jin sends back will go to you. The two of us can support ourselves by doing some farm work at home, and as for Qian Cheng, he’s old enough to manage on his own.”
After all, they had always listened to this girl in all matters big and small anyway, so there was no difference.