“I disagree. The arranged marriage our Jiang family set was with the Su family’s biological daughter, Su Yiwei.” Father Jiang’s voice was firm and resolute.
Over the past two years, their Jiang family had begun to decline and urgently needed the Su family’s support. No matter how good Su Yirou was, she was not the Su family’s biological daughter.
“Dad, the one I love is Rou Rou. If I can persuade Yiwei not to mind me marrying Rou Rou, please don’t interfere, okay?”
Jiang Wentao knelt on both knees before his father, pleading with his words while inwardly blaming him for returning a little too late.
If he had been reborn halfway, he could have told his parents that Rou Rou was also Uncle Su’s biological daughter.
His parents would surely agree once they knew. Whether it was before Su Yiwei returned to the Su family or in his previous life, they had always liked Rou Rou and the children.
In his past life, Rou Rou had willingly exchanged marriages for his sake and remained chaste for him after marriage. In this life, he absolutely must not let her down.
This time, let Rou Rou become his rightful Mrs. Jiang. Since the outstanding Rou Rou could remain chaste for him, then Su Yiwei, who loved him deeply and obeyed him in everything, should be even more willing. After that man from the Huo family died, Yiwei would still be pure.
In his past life, Rou Rou had been the hidden mistress. So in this life, let Yiwei be the hidden one—after all, she was resilient by nature.
She wasn’t as narrow-minded as Rou Rou, who always wanted to eliminate the other and monopolize the family fortune, ultimately causing all three of them to die!
The three of them were not born in the same year, yet they died on the same day, month, and year. This proved that the three of them were destined to be together.
In this life, they were fated to be bound together once more. It wasn’t that he had no feelings for Su Yiwei at all—just not as deep as for Su Yirou.
This time, he would give her a child to rely on and no longer let her suffer through so many bitter herbs.
After all, in his past life, when he rose to prominence, Yiwei had contributed greatly, even if not with merit, then with hardship… Jiang Wentao thought delightedly.
“Old Jiang, since Wentao and Yirou are in love, let’s not be the villains who tear lovers apart.” Mother Jiang said softly.
She had always liked the well-educated and refined Su Yirou and knew deeply that marrying a well-educated woman could bring prosperity to three generations.
What did it matter if she wasn’t biological? Anyone could see that the Su couple preferred Su Yirou.
Minister Su’s later wife had no blood relation to either of the two sisters. Who would like a country bumpkin who grew up in the countryside?
She was no exception—she didn’t like the true heiress who came from a rural background at all. She didn’t understand why Old Jiang insisted their son marry her.
“What nonsense are you talking? This arranged marriage was originally between Wentao and Yiwei. How can you call it tearing lovers apart?” Father Jiang questioned furiously.
Truthfully, he didn’t like Su Yiwei, who grew up in the countryside either, but the two promising sons of the Su family valued their biological sister more.
“Brother Su, Sister-in-law, please tell Old Jiang that both Yiwei and Yirou are your Su family’s children. No matter whom Wentao marries, you will treat them equally.”
Seeing that she couldn’t persuade her husband, Mother Jiang turned to Father Su and Mother Su, pleading for them to reassure Old Jiang.
“Brother Jiang, my wife and I have always treated Yirou as our own daughter. As long as the children have no objections, why shouldn’t we elders fulfill their wishes?”
Father Su skillfully passed the responsibility to Su Yiwei. He wasn’t lying—Su Yirou was his and Lu Yunxiang’s biological daughter.
However, this matter must never be known by his two sons. If Yirou were his child with another woman, he wouldn’t be so worried.
But she happens to be his child with his current wife. If his sons were to find out, they would surely misunderstand.
They might even suspect that they had deliberately abandoned their own sister, when in truth, it was all a mistake made by the hospital back then!
This matter is too shameful to be brought to light, and he would never ruin his dignity in his later years for the sake of a daughter. Therefore, he would never publicly acknowledge Rou Rou’s identity.
Lu Yunxiang remained silent. In front of outsiders, she always acted as though she loved both daughters equally. Over the past two years, anyone who heard her name would praise her for her kindness and virtue.
“Yiwei, let’s go to the courtyard and talk. I have something very important to tell you,” Jiang Wentao said, looking at Su Yiwei with deep affection.
“You’re going to marry my sister. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go out alone with you. If you have something to say, say it here,” Su Yiwei replied, lowering her head.
“Yiwei, you have to believe me. Everything I’m doing today is for your own good,” Jiang Wentao thought Su Yiwei was still sulking.
“If it’s truly for my own good, then you should say it in front of everyone. There’s no reason for a sister-in-law to go out alone with her brother-in-law.”
“My sister is right, Brother Wentao. If you have something to say, say it in front of all of us,” Su Yirou chimed in gently.
She was afraid that Jiang Wentao might be swayed by Su Yiwei’s meek and submissive demeanor, especially since he had married Su Yiwei in their previous life and treated her well throughout their marriage.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Mother Su said softly, “Yiwei, don’t blame Wentao. Strictly speaking, the marriage arrangement with the Huo family was originally yours.”
“Sister, if it weren’t for your adoptive parents’ kindness to the Huo family, they would never have agreed to this marriage in the first place.
Fortunately, Huo Jingsheng is solely focused on scientific research. In his eyes, it doesn’t matter whom he marries, which is why he didn’t look down on you.”
“Oh, listen to how sour Sister’s words sound. What does the Huo family have to look down on me for? Ever since I was recognized and brought back to the Su family, Brother Wentao has been pursuing me, saying he wants to marry me.”
Jiang Wentao hurriedly clarified, “Yiwei, when I said I wanted to marry you before, it was all because my father forced me.
Your sister is right. Since the marriage arrangement with the Huo family is yours, you should be the one to marry into the Huo family.”
Su Yiwei curled her lips and said, “Both you and Sister say the Huo family is good, and you love Sister so much. Why not persuade her to jump into this golden opportunity?”
Hearing this, Su Yirou turned pale with fright. Jiang Wentao’s heart ached for her, and he no longer bothered to feign affection, sharply rebuking Su Yiwei instead.
“Su Yiwei, that’s enough! Rou Rou is already heartbroken, and you still have to kick her while she’s down. When did you become so aggressive?
Do you know how painful it is for her to suddenly learn that the parents she respected for over a decade aren’t her biological ones? How can you be so malicious?”
“How am I being malicious? You’re the ones who said the Huo family is good. I was just following your lead. What did I do wrong?” Su Yiwei rolled her eyes at Jiang Wentao.
“You… you’re utterly unreasonable. Do you like me that much? Tell me, what do you like about me? I’ll change, alright?”
“Brother Wentao, don’t say that to my sister. It’s my fault for taking her parents away from her,” Su Yirou said gloomily.
“Sister, why are you taking the blame again? Did I just say I absolutely must marry Jiang Wentao?”
“I only said that since he has already decided to marry you, my affairs have nothing to do with you. Whom I marry is none of your concern.” Su Yiwei rolled her eyes again.
In her previous life, Su Yirou had used this very trick to utterly bewitch Jiang Wentao—deliberately feigning fragility, placing herself in a vulnerable position to stir his pity.