“Dad, Mom, I think what Jia Jia said makes sense. If this is what Jia Jia wants, why don’t we just support her?”
Bai Qingqing’s eyes flickered as she suppressed her excitement.
She had heard her father mention the Liu family in Liujia Garden in the eastern part of the city. They were a real prize.
The Liu family’s only son was mentally disabled, so wouldn’t their future family fortune eventually end up in someone else’s hands?
And if that “someone else” happened to be her husband’s younger sister, then, in a roundabout way, wouldn’t the benefits eventually belong to her own family?
Lin Jiabao was still completely captivated by his cousin’s beauty. It wasn’t until someone gave his thigh a hard pinch that the pain snapped him back to reality. He immediately chimed in with his wife:
“Dad, Mom, look, this is what my sister chose for herself. Why don’t you just let her have her way?”
After all, whoever his sister married, she was going to marry someone. As long as the marriage brought benefits to the family, it would pave the way for him, too.
As for whether his future brother-in-law was a normal man or a fool, he didn’t care.
“Dad, Mom, I’ve already decided. I’m marrying that fool from the Liu family. Let’s not talk about it anymore. This afternoon, I’m taking Jiang Wan’ning to the station. She can’t stay here a moment longer!”
Lin Meijia gratefully glanced at her brother and sister-in-law. If she hadn’t been reborn with memories of her previous life, she would never have gambled everything on marrying a fool!
Her brother and sister-in-law were helping her now, even if their motives were purely self-serving. At least they were still standing on her side and giving her a hand.
“Jia Jia, is there really a need to be in such a hurry?”
Jiang Cuihua cautiously glanced at her husband. Seeing that his expression was gloomy but that he hadn’t lost his temper or reprimanded their daughter, she knew he had taken her words to heart and was weighing the pros and cons.
She didn’t want to interrupt his thoughts, but she still felt somewhat dissatisfied with her daughter’s eagerness to send her niece away.
Even without that fool from Liujia Garden, she could still make the most of her niece’s beauty.
If she sent the girl away so quickly, it would be much harder to trick her into coming back next time.
“Mom, if Lu Xiaolin really takes an interest in Jiang Wan’ning, then my uncle’s family could rise to prominence.”
With that one sentence, Lin Jianguo’s brows furrowed.
At present, their family held the highest status among their relatives. If that peasant Jiang family overtook them, where would they put their pride at family gatherings?
“Do as Jia Jia says. Take your cousin to the station as soon as possible and send her back to the countryside.”
“Yes! I knew Dad loved me the most. Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t let you down. I’ll definitely marry well and repay the family in the future!”
Having lived through another lifetime, Lin Meijia had everyone in her family figured out.
This time, she absolutely would not let Jiang Wan’ning ruin her happy marriage!
Seeing that her daughter was determined, Jiang Cuihua could only agree, despite her reluctance, to have a matchmaker arrange a marriage between her daughter and the Liu family’s foolish son as soon as possible.
Lin Jiabao felt a little regretful that his beautiful cousin was about to be sent away, meaning he would no longer have the chance to take advantage of her.
If only his tigress of a wife weren’t watching him every second, he really wanted to…
Everyone in the living room was harboring their own ulterior motives.
Lunch consisted of a bowl of watery noodles. The supposedly kind and affectionate aunt personally carried them to the storage room where Jiang Wan’ning was staying.
“Wan’ning, come eat. Jia Jia has already told us what happened. You must have been frightened, right?”
“It’s okay, Auntie. Cousin said she’ll take me to the station this afternoon. I’ll go home and get some good sleep, and I’ll be fine.”
Jiang Wan’ning had already changed back into the clothes she had brought from the countryside. In the dim, stuffy room, sweat trickled down her disheveled hair.
Yet even in such conditions, she didn’t look particularly bedraggled. Her natural beauty made her look captivating anyway.
The smile on Jiang Cuihua’s face nearly collapsed.
If only this beautiful face belonged to her own daughter!
“Good. Eat the noodles while they’re still hot. I’ll go to Jia Jia’s room and pack the study materials for you.”
“Mm. Thank you, Auntie.”
Jiang Wan’ning pretended not to notice anything strange about her aunt and remained as affectionate as ever.
After the woman left, she ate the tasteless noodles in small bites, staring at the floor with a deep, unreadable gaze.
It seemed her dear cousin had already started making her move.
She wanted to replace her and become the future richest man’s wife?
Thinking of all the suffering and hardship she had endured in the Liu family, Jiang Wan’ning calmly wiped away the tears that had unconsciously gathered in the corners of her eyes.
All of it had been forced upon her by her dear aunt.
This time, how about letting her dear cousin go through that ordeal instead?
Meanwhile, the lunch on the dining table was lavish.
No one cared what the girl in the storage room was eating. All they cared about was getting rid of this troublesome relative as quickly as possible and making sure her family never had a chance to rise above them.
Lin Meijia had a hearty appetite. After lunch, she hurried back to her room and pulled out some yellowed books and exam papers from beneath her bed.
They were the expensive study materials she had bought before her college entrance exams years ago. They had been completely useless—she hadn’t gotten into a good university at all and had ended up attending an obscure vocational nursing college.
Thinking about it now, giving these study materials to Jiang Wan’ning wouldn’t cost her anything.
She herself hadn’t been able to get into a good university. What chance did Jiang Wan’ning have?
At that thought, she curled her lips into a sinister smile.
It would be best if Jiang Wan’ning failed the college entrance exam a month from now.
By then, she would have married into the Liu family. Then she could get her mother to persuade her uncle’s family to find Jiang Wan’ning a “good” marriage, too.
What did a girl need so much education for?
Given her uncle’s family’s financial situation, even if Jiang Wan’ning managed to get into university, could they afford to support her?
There was also her little cousin. He had a serious illness. Wouldn’t a large bride price from a marriage be much better for paying for his treatment?
In the outskirts of the city, the Jiang family’s village was filled with rows of low, shabby huts.
Jiang Dashan, who was working in the fields, suddenly sneezed twice.
“Achoo!”
The woman beside him, wearing a straw hat as she worked, immediately stopped cutting rapeseed and asked worriedly,
“Honey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Stop cutting. You’ve already got several cuts on your hands. I’ll finish this field. Go home and take care of Zaonian. With Wan’ning away, he’s home alone. I’m worried he’ll get scared.”
“Okay. I’ll work a little longer, then head home.”
The husband and wife discussed things calmly, without any quarrels or conflicts.
Whenever they thought of their two children, they were filled with energy. Somehow, all the hard work no longer felt so exhausting…