Whoa!
The crowd erupted. The Lin and Qiao family members who had rushed over had arrived just in time to hear Qiao Jianguo say that.
Lin Xiaoxiao’s parents and brothers instantly darkened. Eldest Brother Lin rushed forward and punched Qiao Jianguo without hesitation.
“You’ve got some nerve, Qiao Jianguo! You came to me yourself and said you liked my Little Sister. That’s why I agreed to set you two up!”
“What do you mean by this? You haven’t even formally settled the engagement with my little sister, and you’re already bullying her!”
“Who’s being improper with whom? I’ll beat that filthy-mouthed bastard to death!”
Eldest Brother Lin’s punch came so fast and hard that Qiao Jianguo had no chance to dodge.
His face snapped to one side from the blow, and the pain made his arms loosen around Lin Pandi. She hit the ground hard and was in too much pain to get back up.
Seeing their son get hit, the Qiao family rushed in to shield Qiao Jianguo and hit Eldest Brother Lin back.
Second Brother Lin, Father Lin, and Mother Lin couldn’t let their own child be beaten, so they joined the fray too.
The scene quickly spiraled out of control. Lin Pandi, who was lying on the ground pretending to be weak, was “accidentally” kicked several times by Eldest Brother Lin and Second Brother Lin.
Lin Xiaoxiao was about to go help when a pair of hot, broad hands seized her by the shoulder. She was half-dragged, half-carried back as if she were a little chick.
Lin Xiaoxiao looked up at Lu Ye, puzzled.
The man’s earlobes were bright red, as if they might drip blood—whether from the cold or for some other reason. When he saw her looking at him, he said softly,
“Don’t go over there. Be careful you don’t get caught in the crossfire.”
Lin Xiaoxiao was a little bewildered. Was this the man Lin Pandi had described as treating his wife like thin air and neglecting her completely?
He seemed pretty warmhearted—and considerate, too.
Lin Xiaoxiao glanced at the scuffle. Her parents and brothers had the upper hand.
If she went over there with her thin arms and legs, her family might have to divide their attention to protect her. She’d only get in the way.
So she gave up on rushing in, grateful that Lu Ye had thoughtfully stopped her, and smiled politely at him.
“Thank you!”
Lin Xiaoxiao had a pair of peach-blossom eyes that looked tender even when she gazed at a dog. When she smiled, two sweet dimples appeared, as if she could drown a person in them.
Lu Ye suddenly turned his face away, unable to look at her any longer.
Where Lin Xiaoxiao couldn’t see, the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed again and again.
The hand that had just touched her couldn’t help rubbing against itself, as if savoring the warmth of her skin.
“Stop! All of you, stop! What’s with all this nonsense during the New Year holiday?”
Old Party Secretary Lin arrived and had several village men pull the two families apart, putting an end to the farce.
After hearing what had happened, Old Party Secretary Lin looked at Grandpa Lin, whose expression was grim.
“Dashu, this is mainly an internal matter for your family. Are you going to go ahead with the engagement, or how do you want to handle it?”
Lin Xiaoxiao poked her head out from behind the tall Lu Ye and told the old party secretary what she wanted.
“Second Grandpa, I won’t marry Qiao Jianguo. I’m calling off the engagement!”
Mother Qiao had been scratched several times by Mother Lu. Now that Lin Xiaoxiao dared to stand up and reject her son, she immediately pointed at her and cursed,
“You little slut! I don’t want a daughter-in-law like you, either!”
“My son was right! You’ve been fooling around with your older cousin’s fiancé. Why else would you be hiding behind him?”
Mother Lin exploded at once. “You old hag, who are you calling a slut? I say your son has no shame—joining forces with outsiders to bully my daughter!”
“We all saw what happened just now. Your son kept holding that girl and wouldn’t let go. My daughter was just standing there—what’s wrong with that? I think he’s the one who’s been fooling around with someone for a while!”
At that, Eldest Aunt Lin couldn’t let it pass. She immediately took the accusation personally.
“Second Brother’s wife, who are you talking about? My daughter is perfectly innocent. How can you, her second aunt, slander your own niece like that?”
Just as they were about to start arguing again, Old Party Secretary Lin thumped his cane hard against the ground.
“Enough! All of you, quiet! Anyone who keeps arguing will have three days’ work points deducted!”
Work points were as good as grain and money, so everyone quieted down.
The old party secretary turned again to the heads of the three families: Grandpa Lin, the Qiao family’s spokesman, Brigade Leader Qiao, and Lu Ye, who could only make decisions for himself.
“You three can work this out yourselves. No more arguing—come up with a plan. It’s New Year’s. Don’t make yourselves a laughingstock.”
Before the decision-makers had even made up their minds, Lin Pandi couldn’t hold back. She raised her hand, blushing.
“Um, didn’t Brother Jianguo just suggest a bride swap? I think it’s a good idea. I agree!”
Eldest Aunt Lin’s eyes darted about as she thought how much better it would be for her daughter to marry Qiao Jianguo than Lu Ye.
She also wanted to get one over on Mother Lin by pushing Lin Xiaoxiao onto Lu Ye, whom she considered a bad match. So she immediately chimed in,
“I think it’ll work! That way, our three families will still be related by marriage, and everyone can be happy on New Year’s!”
Mother Lin frowned in displeasure and was just about to object when Eldest Aunt Lin gave Eldest Uncle Lin a look. He immediately said to Grandpa Lin,
“Dad, I think it’s a good idea. The Qiao family’s son has taken Pandi’s innocence, and Lu Ye has taken Xiaoxiao’s. Why not just swap the engagements? Then neither of our girls will have lost her innocence!”
Lin Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes and retorted without holding back,
“Eldest Uncle, the Qing dynasty fell ages ago! This is a new era. Could you stop being so feudal?”
“If saving someone from drowning counts as ruining her innocence, does that mean we’re supposed to stop rescuing people who fall into the water and just watch them drown?”
Before Eldest Uncle Lin could react, Grandpa Lin, who favored the eldest branch, pointed his cane at Lin Xiaoxiao and scolded her.
“How dare you speak to your eldest uncle like that! He’s your elder!”
“Someone touched your body when you were drowning. If you don’t want to swap engagements, are you planning to stay with the old Lin family as an old maid?”
“I’m telling you, that’s not happening! The Lin family has raised you for all these years; we can’t have done it for nothing. You have to marry out and bring back a bride price to repay the family!”
Lin Xiaoxiao’s heart sank.
She’d known it. In the old Lin family, her second branch didn’t count as people, and she, the second branch’s daughter, was nothing but a tool to marry off for money!
But before Lin Xiaoxiao could blow up, Eldest Aunt Lin’s eyes darted about. Worried that Xiaoxiao might really stay with the family, she nudged Eldest Uncle Lin.
He immediately caught on. Though he was nearly fifty, he put on a syrupy, coaxing voice.
“Dad~ You can’t just watch your granddaughter end up with a ruined reputation and unable to marry!”
“Xiaoxiao’s bride price for marrying Qiao Jianguo is 100 yuan. If she marries Lu Ye, won’t we get even more? Yaozu needs a wife, too, and we’re waiting for the money to build him a new house!”
The sight of a grown man like Eldest Uncle Lin acting coy made everyone break out in goosebumps, but Grandpa Lin ate it up.
Without even asking the second branch what they thought, he immediately declared,
“Then it’s settled. Pandi and Xiaoxiao will swap fiancés!”
The Qiao family objected. Brigade Leader Qiao said coldly,
“I don’t agree, Dashu. Marriage is a matter between two families. We chose Lin Xiaoxiao because we valued her high school education.”
“Lin Pandi dropped out in third grade. Jianguo is an officer; he can’t marry an uneducated woman!”
Father Lin and Mother Lin objected in unison. “Dad! Xiaoxiao is your granddaughter, too! How can you decide her marriage so carelessly?”
To everyone’s surprise, Lu Ye suddenly spoke up.
“I agree to the bride swap!”