Qiao Wanyue stood at the doorway, craning her neck to watch the commotion inside.
“Qiao Wanyue.”
Qiao Shanshan’s sharp eyes immediately spotted her sneaking at the door.
As soon as she spoke, everyone turned to look outside.
Qiao Wanyue: careless…
She brushed off dust that didn’t exist on her clothes and timidly stepped into the courtyard. The Lu family members present were Mother Lu, the eldest son, and the eldest daughter-in-law.
Before she even reached the center, she heard Mother Qiao say:
“In-law, I’m sorry. I only found out yesterday that Wanyue swapped Shanshan’s household registration booklet with her own. She wanted to marry up into your family, to Yunzhou. But now that the two have already registered their marriage,
we might as well make the best of it…”
Smack.
Mother Lu slapped her hard. Liang Xiu’s face snapped to the side, blood at the corner of her mouth. She spat out blood along with two teeth.
Mother Lu’s chest heaved with anger.
Pointing at her, she gritted her teeth. “Liang Xiu, you said your younger daughter graduated high school, was gentle, and would be obedient and capable of managing a household if she married my Yunzhou. I wrote to Yunzhou, and he said he would leave the matter of marriage to me. I believed your lies.
Now your younger daughter has registered her marriage with the Yang family, and you’re telling me your elder daughter schemed to marry into my family, wanting a comfortable life, and used tricks to swap the bride.
Liang Xiu, who do you think you’re fooling?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Which of your words is true?”
Liang Xiu turned. “Wanyue, look at what you’ve done. Come kneel and beg your future mother-in-law for forgiveness.”
Qiao Wanyue looked at her with a faint smile.
What a clever way to “make the best of it.”
Liang Xiu felt guilty under her gaze. Ignoring her missing teeth, she stepped forward, grabbed Qiao Wanyue’s ear, and twisted it.
“Wanyue, Mom can’t help you anymore. If you liked Yunzhou, you should’ve told me earlier. I’m not biased—I would’ve persuaded your future mother-in-law to accept you. How could you do something so deceitful?
Your sister had no choice but to marry into the Yang family in your place. I originally planned to take you to the Lu family to apologize after the wedding, but now that it’s exposed, you explain it yourself.”
She pushed Qiao Wanyue in front of Mother Lu.
Mother Lu looked at the girl before her. Her eyes were bright, her expression calm. Even as all the blame was pushed onto her, she stood neither humble nor overbearing.
A good girl.
Though she hadn’t gone to high school, Mother Lu didn’t care about that. What she valued was character. A woman like Qiao Shanshan, who broke off an engagement before marriage, was someone she would never accept.
The more she looked at Qiao Wanyue’s clear black eyes, the more she liked her.
But she hadn’t forgotten her purpose for coming.
“Liang Xiu, don’t try to fool me with a scapegoat. Your younger daughter has been spreading rumors everywhere that my son will die in service, saying she doesn’t want to be a widow.
Do you know about this?”
Mother Lu’s face darkened, suppressing her anger.
Liang Xiu froze.
She did know.
Shanshan had dreamed that Lu Yunzhou died on the battlefield, that she became a widow, that the Lu family bullied her, that Mother Lu tried to seize Yunzhou’s allowance, falsely accused her of sleeping with another man, and sent her to prison.
She spent eighteen years behind bars.
Liang Xiu had trembled when she heard it. Though she wasn’t superstitious, she preferred to believe it might be true. Yunzhou’s job was dangerous—perhaps the dream was real. So she tacitly approved Shanshan’s marriage to Yang Huaiyuan.
Though it benefited Qiao Wanyue, thinking that it would be Qiao Wanyue who would suffer in the future made her feel better.
But such things could only be said privately. If made public, the Qiao family would clearly be at fault.
“In-law, that definitely wasn’t said by our Shanshan. If I had known Yunzhou would die, how could I let Wanyue marry into your family? Wanyue is my flesh and blood too.” Liang Xiu even reddened her eyes as she spoke.
Mother Lu wasn’t fooled.
“Let me tell you—my son is a soldier defending the country. He is a hero. Your family has committed marriage fraud involving a soldier. This can go to a military court. I don’t care who claims to love my son—
my son does not accept this.”
Liang Xiu kicked Qiao Wanyue.
Silently cursing her for being like a block of wood.
Qiao Wanyue cried out in shock.
Everyone was startled.
Tears welled in her eyes and slid down as she cried out. Her eyes, like a frightened deer’s, were wet and pitiful.
Mother Lu’s heart softened immediately. “Child, what’s wrong?”
Qiao Wanyue frowned. “It hurts.”
Mother Lu looked at her arm, then kicked Liang Xiu—who was standing behind her—flying away. Without hesitation, she rolled up Qiao Wanyue’s sleeve and gasped.
Her fair arm was covered in visible bruises—purple and blue.
“Everyone, come take a look! This is how Liang Xiu treats her own daughter.”
There wasn’t a single uninjured patch—old and new wounds overlapped.
Many women present felt heartache. Though some favored sons over daughters, daughters were still their flesh and blood.
This was ruthless.
Mother Lu shielded Qiao Wanyue behind her like a protective hen.
“Liang Xiu, I will report you to the commune. You slander a national hero, commit marriage fraud, and abuse your daughter—three crimes. Heh…”
Mother Lu grabbed Qiao Wanyue and walked out.
Qiao Wanyue followed silently, like a little chick, while Mother Lu strode forward like a commanding general.
“In-law, wait.”
Father Qiao, who had been silent in the corner, stepped forward.
“In-law, tell me—what exactly do you want?”
Mother Lu paused. Behind her, Qiao Wanyue trembled slightly. She held her hand, giving her strength.
“Brigade Leader Qiao, you’re mistaken. It’s not about what I want—it’s about what you want.”
Father Qiao cursed inwardly—old fox.
He avoided the main issue. “In-law, things have already come to this. If this blows up, it won’t be good for Yunzhou’s career. He wouldn’t want people in the army to know his wife was swapped. Name your condition…”
Mother Lu laughed in anger.
Qiao Sheng was indeed more cunning than Liang Xiu.
Liang Xiu pushed all responsibility onto Qiao Wanyue.
Qiao Sheng used his son’s future to threaten her. A bride swap was disgraceful—if exposed, it could affect her son’s career. He was certain she would swallow this for her son’s sake.
But he miscalculated one thing.
Mother Lu never yielded to threats.
If her son’s future required her dignity to be trampled, then that future meant nothing.
Her son fought for honor—for the family to hold their heads high.
Not to be humiliated and threatened.
“You’re wrong. What does this have to do with my son? You were the ones who sent the household registration. The application my son submitted clearly had the name ‘Qiao Shanshan’ written on it.
Do you think names can just be changed as you please?
Who are you trying to fool?”