Jiang Ye quickly caught up with Jiang Mother, grinning with a lovesick expression.
Jiang Mother glanced at him. “How old are you still enjoying stirring up trouble? You’d better spend this time finding yourself a wife.”
Jiang Ye shoved his hands in his pockets and deliberately leaned closer to Jiang Mother. “I’ve already found a wife.”
“Hah!”
“Hah hah!”
Jiang Mother paid no attention, letting out two cold laughs before walking away.
Found a wife? Him?
He wouldn’t take anyone too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, too dark, or too ugly…
With his standards set so high, who could possibly catch his eye?
The compound where Ruan Tang’s family lived was a single-courtyard residence. They occupied the east wing, while Cai Xiaolan’s family lived in the West Wing, and Old Man Ma’s family resided in the main house.
The east wing consisted of three rooms that had been partitioned into four spaces.
Ruan Fu and Ruan Mu had one room, older brother Ruan Xiangxi and younger brother Ruan Xiangbei shared another, Ruan Tang had a small room to herself, with the central area serving as the living room.
The adjacent side room functioned as the kitchen.
The family lived in rather cramped conditions.
However, Ruan Fu and Big Brother Ruan occasionally traveled to other cities for deliveries, sometimes staying away from home for several days at a time.
Ruan Xiangbei was in his second year of high school and spent most of his time at school except during holidays.
As soon as the two returned home, Ruan Mu couldn’t wait to ask Ruan Tang, “How well do you know that Jiang Ye? Why did he pass you a note? What does he want?”
Ruan Mu looked worried, fearing he might have ill intentions toward Ruan Tang.
Truthfully, Ruan Mu’s concern wasn’t unfounded—Jiang Ye had had a bad reputation since childhood, known for either teasing animals or getting into fights. Now twenty, he still lacked a proper job and spent his days wandering around the alleyways.
After entering the room, Ruan Tang first turned on the electric fan, then poured Ruan Mu a glass of cooled boiled water.
After gulping down a glass of water herself, she finally said, “Jiang Ye wants to marry me.”
“What?” Ruan Mu exclaimed.
The cup in her hand nearly fell to the ground, but Ruan Tang caught it just in time.
“Did he threaten you? Does he want that five hundred yuan too?”
“He must have seen his mother help you get compensation, became jealous, and is now using marriage to threaten you.”
“That boy clearly isn’t the steady type. What should we do now?” Ruan Mu grew increasingly flustered, her words becoming disjointed.
Ruan Tang quickly had Ruan Mu sit down and listen to her explanation.
No wonder Jiang Ye had passed her that note, telling her to prepare her family first—he was afraid he might get chased out when the time came.
Seeing her mother’s reaction, Jiang Ye’s concerns weren’t entirely unreasonable.
“Mom, actually, I was able to successfully break off the engagement entirely thanks to Jiang Ye’s behind-the-scenes efforts. He’s a good person and definitely didn’t threaten me.”
Ruan Mu was taken aback by this, then looked skeptical.
Ruan Tang had to explain everything in detail from the beginning. “Su Jincheng doesn’t like me, yet he’d rather cheat than break off the engagement. Why?”
“Because he listens to Wu Mengzhi,” Ruan Mu replied instinctively.
“Right. Now think back—even after what happened today, Wu Mengzhi still firmly opposed ending the engagement twice. Why is that?” Ruan Tang continued to guide her.
Ruan Mu fell into deep thought.
For the sake of face?
That didn’t seem likely either—after what they’d done, what dignity did they have left?
Ruan Mu shook her head, unable to figure it out.
Seeing this, Ruan Tang briefly recounted the dream she’d had.
In her dream, after she died, her father became mentally distracted, got into a car accident, and was left paralyzed in both legs. Her mother went to Wu Mengzhi to ask for some subsidies from the factory, but Wu Mengzhi not only refused to help but also said her father deserved it, even accidentally revealing the real reason behind the arranged marriage back then.
Ruan Mu was shocked upon hearing this.
Over the years, the relationship between their two families had been quite good. Back when they worked in the same workshop, they often helped each other out.
She remembered that Su Jincheng was frail and often fell ill as a child. Wu Mengzhi frequently sought medical help, and she herself had accompanied her every time.
They tried many remedies, but none worked. Later, they went together to a temple to burn incense and pray. She even consulted a fortune teller and, upon returning…
She had persistently suggested arranging a marriage between Su Jincheng and her own Tangtang, saying something about “keeping the benefits within the family.”
Thinking of this, Ruan Mu broke out in a cold sweat.
Because after the two children were engaged, Su Jincheng did gradually get better, and their family’s living conditions improved steadily, including both her and her husband’s careers, which kept rising.
But her own family had remained stagnant, barely scraping by.
As for why they were unwilling to marry now?
Probably because they looked down on her Tangtang.
And once Tangtang went to the countryside, whether she would live or die, or even return, was uncertain.
By then, Wu Mengzhi could easily find an excuse to break off the engagement and shift the blame onto Tangtang.
At this thought, Ruan Mu began to weep.
“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault for making friends with the wrong person.”
Ruan Tang didn’t want her to dwell on self-blame and comforted her, “It’s not your fault. You can’t judge a person’s heart by their appearance—you had no idea she was so wicked.”
“As long as I stay in the city from now on, nothing from the dream will happen again.”
“Now the engagement is broken off, we even got compensation, and they’ve been punished. The events from the dream won’t repeat.”
Ruan Mu nodded tearfully, “You’re right, things are different now. I should focus on the positive so that things can move in a better direction.”
Suddenly, a realization dawned on her.
“Is it because Jiang Ye helped you break off the engagement that you agreed to marry him?”
Ruan Tang nodded, “We had an agreement—if he helped me end the engagement, I would marry him.”
Hearing this, Ruan Mu grew troubled again.
Jiang Ye was good-looking, but his reputation was terrible.
Not only did he not have a job, but his temper and character were surely poor. What if he turned abusive toward Tangtang?
And then there was Jiang Mother—she was a bit stern, but she was diligent and responsible at work, and people spoke well of her. Still…
Jiang Ye also had four older sisters. What if they took a dislike to Tangtang and stirred up trouble? What would become of her daughter?
Just the thought made Ruan Mu anxious.
She had seen many similar cases around her—sisters-in-law who would nitpick and cause unrest in the family for no reason.
“Tangtang, maybe… you shouldn’t marry after all.”
Ruan Tang was puzzled, “Why?”
“If I don’t marry, are you going to send me to the countryside?”
“Or can you find me a ready-made job instead?”
Ruan Mu was left speechless.
Where could she find a ready-made job for her daughter?
Even Xi’s job was secured through connections and money.
“Is marriage really the only way? There’s no other option?”
Ruan Tang leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and said deliberately, “There is—give me your job.”
“How can that be?” Ruan Mu instinctively refused.
She quickly added an explanation, “My job is dirty, tiring, and requires technical skills—you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
Her two sons weren’t married yet. If she lost her job, how would she earn the bride price for them?
Ruan Tang shrugged.
“So, I can only marry Jiang Ye.”
She knew her mother wouldn’t agree—work and money were things her mother cared about deeply.
Ruan Mu’s heart was still tangled, feeling uneasy.
“What if they bully you after you marry into their family?”