Shen Xiaoyun was practically fuming, her eyes blazing with anger. “Who are you calling loose-lipped? Don’t you have any shame for the disgraceful things you’ve done?”
On the very first day after marrying into the family, she was being called shameless by her sister-in-law.
Any normal bride would have thrown a fit and stirred up a storm, let alone Jiang Yingying, who was never known for having a good temper to begin with.
With many older brothers and a father who was the village chief, she had been spoiled and grew up unreasonable and domineering. Even though their families lived far apart, Shen Xiaoyun had heard of her notorious reputation…
Li Xuelian’s heart sank, and she anxiously tugged at her son’s sleeve. “A-Yao…”
She didn’t like Jiang Yingying either, but she was afraid that if this woman really kicked up a fuss, others would laugh at their family, and it would only bring them shame.
What if Jiang Yingying’s reckless brothers came to cause trouble…
They were already poor—if the family couldn’t even live in peace, how were they supposed to get by?
Shen Qinghong, usually mild-tempered, was so angry his lips trembled.
Shen Yao set down his bowl. “I’m heading to the fields.”
He had no intention of standing up for his new wife…
Jiang Yingying inwardly scoffed, but on the surface, she lowered her head meekly, letting a single tear fall at just the right moment. “Father, Mother, please take your time eating. I’ll go back to my room now…”
As a rural wife, she was expected to work, but she had no intention of clearing the table or washing dishes and pots later.
She could handle being scolded, but she refused to do manual labor.
“Ah, daughter, you’ve barely eaten anything!” Li Xuelian quickly stood up.
Jiang Yingying forced a smile. “Mother, I’m full. May I go back to my room now?”
She stood by the door, slightly turned away, a strand of hair falling over her face. She looked as if she had suffered a great injustice, on the verge of bursting into tears at any moment…
Li Xuelian was immediately at a loss, her heart aching for the girl.
No matter what, given the current situation, it was clear that her own daughter and son were bullying the newlywed bride!
So, she softened her voice, speaking as if coaxing a child. “Alright, alright, go back and rest. I’ll save some flatbread for you—you can heat it up if you get hungry later!”
Shen Xiaoyun protested unwillingly, “Mom, why save any for her? Besides, what’s there to rest for in the middle of the morning?”
“Shut your mouth!”
Li Xuelian glared at her daughter. “Your sister-in-law just arrived, and you’re already bullying her? Do you want people to point fingers at our family?”
“Hurry up and finish eating, then wash the pots! After that, go feed the chickens!”
Shen Xiaoyun grew even angrier. Now that Jiang Yingying had married into the family, shouldn’t she be doing the work?
Why was she still stuck with all these chores?
Across the table, Shen Qinghong slammed his bowl down heavily. “Shen Xiaoyun! Where are the manners we taught you since you were little? Who taught you to be so disrespectful?”
He had once been a teacher—a man with some education and the refined pride of a scholar.
Today’s scene made him feel that he had failed as a parent, utterly humiliating him. His face turned pale with rage.
Shen Xiaoyun lowered her head and didn’t dare say another word. Her father’s health was poor, and she was afraid of upsetting him further.
She obediently went to do her chores.
On the other side, Shen Yao lowered his dark eyes and made his judgment.
This woman was deceitful, lazy, greedy, and slippery—not the kind to build a life with.
His situation with Jiang Yingying had already been messy, and their marriage was rushed. Before this, she had always acted arrogantly and looked down on everyone. Even at their wedding yesterday, she had refused to call his parents “Father” and “Mother.”
If it weren’t for his mother’s tearful insistence that he must marry, he would rather be beaten than take this woman.
He understood his mother’s reasoning: their family was poor, and with two nephews to support, no woman was willing to marry into such hardship.
So, in his mother’s eyes, the fact that he could even get a wife was already a blessing.
But over the past two years, national policies had shifted significantly. While the villagers remained oblivious, Shen Yao, who often worked in the city, had keenly sensed the changes.
He was confident that with his strength and wits, he could earn money, and their family wouldn’t remain trapped in poverty forever.
As for Jiang Yingying, if she behaved herself, that would be one thing. But if she continued her old antics, he would not hesitate to throw her out!
After finishing his meal, Shen Yao returned to his room and found Jiang Yingying sitting on the bed, tidying her clothes.
When she saw him enter, she flashed a sweet smile. “Husband, I have some pastries among my dowry. Let’s share them with your parents later.”
Uncertain about the reason for her sudden change in attitude, Shen Yao glared at her coldly. “Don’t call me that!”
Jiang Yingying tilted her head. “Should I not call you ‘husband’?”
Irritated by her repeated use of the term, Shen Yao’s expression darkened. “Mm.”
Jiang Yingying’s face fell, her delicate features tinged with red. “I know you dislike me, brother, but I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t understand how things ended up like this…”
“Brother, did Yingying do something wrong? Even your sister doesn’t like me…”
She had stopped calling him “husband” and switched to “brother” instead!
Shen Yao took a deep breath. “Don’t pretend you don’t know why! I’m warning you—show respect to my parents at home. I don’t expect you to do much work, but if you cause trouble, you can leave right now!”
Jiang Yingying inwardly scoffed. If she had a choice, who would want to be the wife of such a violent man?
She lifted her delicate, rosy face and let tears fall at just the right moment. “Brother, what’s done is done. Yingying knows she made many mistakes in the past. But marrying you was also my choice. How can you be so cruel?”
Brother, brother…
Shen Yao felt like he was going insane. The woman before him had a charming face and a soft, pleading voice. Even with a heart as hard as iron, he couldn’t maintain his harsh tone. “Just call me by my name from now on!”
“And there’s no need for you to pretend. I know you never wanted to marry me either. Don’t worry—we’ll get a divorce soon!”
In this day and age, few people in the village would even dare mention divorce. But hearing Shen Yao say it, Jiang Yingying felt a wave of relief. She knew that in a couple of years, the winds of reform and opening-up would sweep through, and people’s mindsets would change dramatically.
By then, divorce wouldn’t be such a shocking affair. Until that time, she had no intention of leaving—she needed to secure money and resources first.
After all, in this era, getting divorced after marriage was akin to being cast out. Without land or work, she would starve.
“Brother Yao, are you abandoning Yingying?”
Jiang Yingying looked up at him, tears streaming even more heavily. “Yingying understands. From now on, I won’t bother you or make you angry.”
Compared to the previous two forms of address, “Brother Yao” was somewhat more acceptable.
But her tearful demeanor left Shen Yao feeling flustered. Remembering her past behavior, his heart hardened again. “It’s good that you understand!”
With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him—though his retreating figure seemed almost like a hasty escape.
Jiang Yingying quickly wiped the tears from her face, her sorrow vanishing instantly. Just as she was about to continue inspecting her meager belongings, a voice suddenly echoed in her mind out of nowhere.
“Ding dong! Locking onto the Green Tea System host. Welcome, host!”
Jiang Yingying’s eyes widened in shock as she spotted a sky-blue screen floating before her. Stunned, she reached out a hand and exclaimed, “What is this?”
The mechanical voice sounded cheerful as it replied, “Host, you are now bound to our Green Tea System. For every ‘green tea’ remark you make, you will earn one point of luck. Luck points can be exchanged for equivalent items in the system’s store!”