“Shut up! All of you shut up! What conspiracy? Yanqing and I ended up in that situation without knowing, so we had to make the best of it and get married. We realized we’d married the right person only after entering the wrong room. After marriage, we admired each other. It’s this shameless woman who came to our house every day to cause trouble. Everyone has seen it with their own eyes!” Li Xuemei, seeing the crowd’s shifting opinions, felt her blood rush to her head and angrily shouted at the onlookers.
Noticing the varied expressions among the aunties who claimed to be mediating but were actually there for the spectacle—some curious, some disdainful, and of course, some skeptical—Li Xuemei was furious. How could so many people still believe Lu Zhenzhen, whose reputation in the village was already in the mud?
She and Yanqing had deliberately indulged her, allowing her to come and go freely in the Xu family home, just to drive her mad. For nearly two months, even if Lu Zhenzhen had discovered the truth, no one should have believed her!
Why had she suddenly struck Yanqing in public today, boldly accused him, and logically laid out everything to these ignorant villagers? Why was she acting as if she was ready to fight to the death with him?
Yanqing hadn’t yet secured his return-to-the-city quota, Lu Zhenzhen hadn’t completely disappointed her family, and she herself hadn’t gained the approval of Grandpa Xu. How could this be happening?
Recalling her previous life, she had married Gu Ye with joy, not minding that he had an elderly grandfather, a sickly mother, young siblings, and her own delicate self. She had believed that with her family’s support, their life would be good. Unfortunately, Gu Ye refused to consummate the marriage and returned to the army, where he died on a mission. After that, her life fell into chaos.
In contrast, Lu Zhenzhen, who had also pursued Xu Yanqing, returned to the city with him after marriage. Years later, when she could no longer stay in the countryside and went to the city, she learned that Xu Yanqing had become the richest man in Hushi, while she worked as a maid in their household. Although she had seduced Xu Yanqing with her looks, she remained nameless and without status, eventually growing old and spending her life as a maid.
Fortunately, heaven had given her a second chance. Using her experience from her past life, she quickly won Xu Yanqing’s affection, and he agreed to switch brides on their wedding day…
“Li Xuemei, your frantic aggression only makes everyone think you’re guilty and protesting too much,” Lu Zhenzhen said coldly.
“That’s right. Isn’t Xuemei usually well-mannered and polite? Why is she so fierce now?”
“What else could it be? Guilt! Look at how guilty she looks,” a young woman who disliked Li Xuemei shrilly remarked.
“So it seems Zhiqing Lu is the real victim. She’s been supporting the Xu family for so many years, only to end up making a wedding dress for someone else.”
“Anyone would find this unbearable. It’s only right for her to demand the money she spent on them.”
Xu Yanqing, who had just recovered, heard the villagers’ righteous accusations. Seeing Lu Zhenzhen adding insult to injury while his wife looked tearful and pitiful, his heart ached with anger, and he roared, “Lu Zhenzhen, don’t you dare slander us!”
Meeting Lu Zhenzhen’s icy gaze, Xu Yanqing felt uneasy. Why had this fool, who had obediently followed him like a dog for over a decade since childhood, suddenly stopped listening?
He coaxed her into willingly taking her sister’s place in marriage. After the wedding, he patiently sweet-talked her in private, making her believe he deeply loved her, yet cruelly rejected her under the pretense of having made mistakes that made him unworthy of her.
Anyway, the mistaken wedding night was witnessed by everyone. Whatever she wanted to say, he would let her say it—she was brainless to begin with.
What he wanted was her reckless behavior, to drive his family out of the village until they couldn’t stay any longer.
Then the Lu family would feel guilty and find a way to help his family return to the city, and would fully support him.
As for this brainless woman, whether she lived or died was none of his concern!
“Xu Yanqing, do you think speaking loudly makes you right? Everything I said is the truth.
If you just want to live a good life with Li Xuemei, you should return the money to me instead of threatening me fiercely.”
Lu Zhenzhen’s sneer deepened at the corner of her mouth. She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, looking down at the scumbag and his mistress before her.
“How much? Name a price, and I’ll give it to you. Get out of our house immediately,” Li Xuemei said through gritted teeth.
“Over the past three years, Xujia has spent a total of 1,863 yuan from me, not counting the wedding expenses.
Return the 1,863 yuan first, and I’ll leave right away. As for the Bupiao, Tangpiao, and Gongyepiao spent on the wedding, I’ll need to check my records at home.
I’ve kept accounts for every expense I gave to their family. If you promptly return the 1,863 yuan, the rest will depend on my mood.”
Lu Zhenzhen now only wanted to take the money and leave this filthy place. She urgently needed to calm down before fighting again.
Although she felt a surge of anger rising to her head, what overwhelmed her more was a deep sense of helplessness.
Because this body was too weak—who knew how long it had been since it had eaten a full meal? At this moment, she was so hungry her stomach felt pressed against her back, barely able to stand steadily.
She simply didn’t have the extra energy to dwell on the scumbag’s cruelty.
The onlookers were stunned by the astronomical figure of 1,863 yuan!
Seeing Lu Zhenzhen’s fierce demeanor, Xu Yanqing sneered inwardly. No matter how fierce she seemed, he could easily twist her around with just a few words.
“Zhenzhen, I know you like me very much, but some things are destined by fate.
Now that you’ve married Gu Ye, as long as you behave properly, your life won’t necessarily be bad…”
Seeing Xu Yanqing trying to manipulate her again, Lu Zhenzhen interrupted, “Stop the nonsense. Hurry up and return the money.”
“Sister Zhenzhen, didn’t you say you were willing to do anything for my brother? Why are you asking him for money now?” A soft voice spoke up.
Lu Zhenzhen looked toward the voice and saw a beautiful girl with tears in her eyes.
Her skin was as fair and flawless as jade, her delicate features exquisite and ethereal, like a fairy from a painting.
Information about this little fairy popped into Lu Zhenzhen’s mind—she was the scumbag’s spoiled younger sister.
The Lu family had continuously sent money, coupons, clothes to the original host, and Grandpa Lu had even given her private subsidies.
The original host had spent everything on Xu Yanqing’s family, serving them like a dutiful daughter-in-law, washing clothes and cooking for them.
She took excellent care of the Xu family, especially pampering the younger sister until she glowed with health, while the original host herself became worn-out, dark-skinned, and dressed in shabby clothes.
The original host never stopped to think: three years ago, she was stunningly beautiful and still couldn’t move Xu Yanqing’s heart. After three years of exhausting labor that changed her appearance, how could the scumbag possibly fancy her?
She had sacrificed everything for the Xu family, ruining herself until she was barely recognizable, and in the end, she even lost her life.
And this girl actually had the nerve to try and guilt-trip her!
Wow, so that’s how you want to play it, huh!
“You said it yourself—that was in the past. Back then, I was your brother’s fiancée, so giving you food, clothes, and other things was something I did willingly.
But now, what connection do I have with you? You owe me money and refuse to pay it back, yet you speak so righteously. Who gave you the courage?” Lu Zhenzhen asked fiercely.