Qiao Wanyue smiled.
She spoke of mutual love, yet she had never even looked at Yang Huaiyuan before.
It was nothing more than learning of his future success.
She thought she had bet on the right person.
Qiao Wanyue lowered her head, curling her lips slightly. She suppressed the smile at the corner of her mouth, then fiercely pinched the inside of her thigh. The pain made her eyes redden instantly.
When she raised her gaze again, her eyes were already red as she looked at the two of them.
“Shanshan, you’re my own sister. How could you treat me like this?”
She tilted her head back, refusing to let her tears fall, and looked at Yang Huaiyuan. “Huaiyuan, our wedding is in three days. We agreed to register our marriage tomorrow, yet today you registered with my own sister. How can you face me…?”
“I…” Yang Huaiyuan hesitated. “Wanyue, I…”
Qiao Wanyue had no patience for his dithering and cut him off directly. “Are you really going to be with my sister?”
Yang Huaiyuan thought for a few seconds, then took Qiao Shanshan’s hand and said firmly, “Wanyue, I like Shanshan. You know that I love romance and poetry. You don’t understand poetry—we have nothing in common.”
He said this without the slightest guilt.
He had never had any feelings for Qiao Wanyue in the first place. It was his mother who fancied her for being capable and having good childbearing hips.
Otherwise, how could a woman with only an elementary school education be worthy of a talented man like him who had finished high school?
Qiao Shanshan, as Qiao Wanyue’s younger sister, had graduated from high school. She would also take over Qiao Wanyue’s job in the future. In terms of looks, she was no less impressive. Even if she couldn’t do much work, she could always be trained by his mother after marriage.
Most importantly, Qiao Shanshan wasn’t stiff or dull. When she confessed to him, he had secretly touched her. This woman had a full chest and hips—she would surely be enjoyable, just as his mother said, good for bearing children.
She could carry on the Yang family line.
Qiao Wanyue burst into laughter. “So I don’t understand romance.” She pointed at Yang Huaiyuan, her eyes blazing. “Yang Huaiyuan, Qiao Shanshan, remember this. Today it’s not that you’re rejecting me—I, Qiao Wanyue, am the one abandoning you. From this day forward, we go our separate ways and have nothing to do with each other.”
She clutched her chest and crouched on the ground, her shoulders trembling.
In Yang Huaiyuan’s eyes, this behavior meant that Qiao Wanyue loved him deeply.
For the sake of fulfilling his relationship with Qiao Shanshan, she was willing to suffer like this.
He felt somewhat moved.
Qiao Shanshan also let out a sigh of relief.
She made a move to stand, pulling Yang Huaiyuan up with her.
“Stay kneeling.”
Qiao Father, who had been silent while squatting on the ground, suddenly spoke.
The doors of the Qiao family had long been shut.
Qiao Father was the leader of the production team, and his family lived better than most in the village. He treated his children well, especially his youngest daughter, Qiao Shanshan, whom he cherished deeply.
This was the first time Qiao Shanshan had seen her father lose his temper.
“Dad…”
“I am not your father,” he snapped in frustration. “You made the decision on your own to register your marriage with Yang Huaiyuan. Have you thought about Lu Yunzhou? He is a soldier. This is interfering with a military marriage. Both of you could be sent to a military court.”
Qiao Father looked at his youngest daughter in disappointment.
Qiao Shanshan showed no guilt. “My sister hasn’t married yet. Just give her to the Lu family.”
Qiao Wanyue’s trembling shoulders paused.
How ruthless Qiao Shanshan was.
Qiao Mother frowned deeply. “Qiao Wanyue cannot marry Lu Yunzhou.”
Qiao Father fell into thought.
The marriage between his youngest daughter and Yang Huaiyuan was already a done deal. Even if he opposed it, they were already married.
As for divorce, he had never considered it and would never agree.
Although his youngest daughter had acted recklessly, Qiao Father glanced at his eldest daughter and sighed. It was uncertain whether Lu Yunzhou would even take a liking to Qiao Wanyue.
But things had come to this, and they could only make the best of it. If the Lu family had objections, they would direct them at Qiao Wanyue.
He glared at his youngest daughter. “Ask your sister for forgiveness.”
Qiao Wanyue lowered her head and let out a cold laugh.
Her father truly was calculating.
Now that the Yang family had no objections, as for the Lu family—whether they accepted Qiao Wanyue or not was her own problem. Qiao Father would not concern himself with it.
He cared most about saving face.
He had already acknowledged the marriage between the two. As for how to explain it to others, since both sisters were getting married, it didn’t matter who married whom—what mattered was that the Qiao family decided.
Qiao Shanshan immediately understood. “Sister, Lu Yunzhou is handsome and talented. I’ve heard he recently earned another merit and might even be promoted to regiment commander. If you marry him, you’ll be the commander’s wife. You’ll live a life of comfort.”
Qiao Mother shot her youngest daughter a dissatisfied look.
If she knew this, why give such a good marriage to Qiao Wanyue?
Qiao Wanyue sneered. “Then why don’t you marry him?”
Qiao Shanshan choked.
In this life, she intended to become a wealthy lady—why would she marry someone destined to die early?
“Sister, do you really want to see your younger sister dragged into a military court? You’ve always loved me the most. Besides, you and Brother Huaiyuan have no feelings for each other. Whoever you marry is the same. Sister, can you please fulfill my wish?” Her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at Qiao Wanyue.
Qiao Wanyue gave a cold laugh.
In the past, she had loved this younger sister the most.
Even when trapped in a family like the Yangs, she still went to the prison every month to bring her food, urging her to keep living.
What a repayment of kindness with betrayal.
Qiao Wanyue only stared at her coldly.
Under her gaze, Qiao Shanshan felt guilty, then grew angry out of embarrassment. “Qiao Wanyue, whether you marry or not is not up to you. Five days ago, I already sent your household registration book to Lu Yunzhou. By now, you’re already registered with him.”
Qiao Wanyue fell into deep thought.
Qiao Shanshan had been reborn earlier than her…
Qiao Mother felt a sharp pang in her chest.
She wished she could crack open her youngest daughter’s head to see what was inside.
But things had already come to this, so she could only think of ways to prevent Qiao Wanyue from following the army after marriage.
Qiao Shanshan clung to Qiao Mother, acting spoiled. Although Qiao Mother was angry, she couldn’t bring herself to be harsh toward the daughter she had doted on since childhood. She kept a straight face, refusing to smile.
Qiao Shanshan dragged both parents into the house, not forgetting to say, “Sister, today is the day Brother Huaiyuan and I registered our marriage. Later, cook something nice—Brother Huaiyuan likes…” She listed Yang Huaiyuan’s preferences.
Qiao Mother and Qiao Father were still angry, allowing themselves to be pulled inside.
No one paid any attention to Qiao Wanyue’s opinion.
“I don’t agree,” she said slowly.
The Qiao family froze.
They looked at Qiao Wanyue in disbelief.
What did she just say?
Qiao Wanyue enunciated each word clearly. “If you want me to marry, fine—but I have conditions.”
Qiao Mother was furious. “If we tell you to marry, you marry. With Lu Yunzhou’s excellent conditions, someone like you—with neither looks nor education—couldn’t find such a match even searching with a lantern. You should be grateful.
Your dowry and bride price will all go to Shanshan. It’s thanks to her that you have such a good marriage.”
Qiao Wanyue couldn’t understand.
They were both daughters—why, in her mother’s eyes, was Qiao Shanshan like the bright moon in the sky,
while she, Qiao Wanyue, was nothing more than a worthless weed?
But in this life, she no longer clung to maternal love.
“Then let her marry instead. I’ll take a rope and hang myself at the Yang family’s gate.”
Ignoring Qiao Mother, she turned and walked away.
Qiao Mother was stunned.
Qiao Wanyue actually dared to defy her.
“Qiao Wanyue,” Qiao Father shouted angrily.
Qiao Wanyue paused. Her knees weakened slightly—the fear ingrained in her bones.
She turned back. “Dad, Qiao Shanshan registered her marriage on her own. Now you want me to marry into the Lu family. If the Lu family doesn’t agree, I’ll be interfering with a military marriage. Have you ever thought about how they’ll make things difficult for me?”
Qiao Father pursed his lips guiltily.
“Either agree to my conditions, or I’ll take a rope and hang myself at the Yang family’s gate.”
Qiao Wanyue spoke with ruthless determination.