Only now did Yao Yulan truly regret everything.
She had never anticipated things ending like this. In her imagination, she had envisioned herself smugly breaking off the engagement while the Cheng family left humiliated and dejected. She had even imagined Cheng Yuanche swallowing his anger and begging her humbly.
She had never expected angering the Cheng family would lead to such consequences.
“Waaah… waaahhh…”
The moment she thought about today’s beating, being splashed with manure, swallowing filth and urine, possibly even losing her job, and having her reputation completely ruined, she burst into heartbroken sobs.
“Cry, cry, cry! What’s the use of crying now? You brought all this upon yourself!”
“I warned you all last night, but none of you listened to me. Now things have blown up like this. Are you satisfied now?”
The youngest son of the Yao family, Yao Haibo, roared furiously.
He hadn’t been beaten today, but the Cheng cousins had restrained him the entire time, leaving him powerless to help.
At this moment, he was filled with anger toward Yao Yulan. His youthful face was full of fury.
“Fifth Aunt was right—you really are a brainless idiot. Did you think you were the only smart person in the world and everyone else was stupid? In other people’s eyes, you’re the dumbest pig of them all!”
Normally, Yao Yulan would have thrown her authority around as the older sister and snapped back at him. But now she only cried, sobbing as though her heart and intestines were breaking apart. She sprawled miserably across the filthy ground like a refugee, not even having the strength to stand.
Today’s spectacle was the most exciting drama Wan Kou Village had seen in years.
Even though the excitement had ended, the villagers still gathered in small groups everywhere discussing it.
Quite a few women in the village didn’t get along with Mother Yao. At this moment, the little circle led by Yu Dazui was animatedly gossiping and laughing loudly about the incident. The men who hadn’t gone out to sea also gathered together smoking, all discussing the farcical wedding procession from earlier.
Meanwhile, Qiu Yinong had already returned to the Huang family home. Cheng Yuanche and his two sisters had accompanied her back, and the Huang elders and other relatives had also hurried home.
“Qiu Yinong, marriage is a major matter. As a junior, making such a huge decision without notifying Dachao and his wife is very disrespectful. People will criticize you for it later.”
Old Man Huang stood at the doorway reminding her.
“Grandpa Huang, my uncle has already gone to the county town to invite the two elders back.”
Cheng Yuanche had already arranged everything. The bride swap at today’s wedding procession had happened suddenly and hurriedly, but fortunately her aunt and uncle were both local and could still make it back in time for the wedding.
When Qiu Yinong came to Shihai County this time, she had brought four or five large suitcases and bags. Since arriving last night, she hadn’t even unpacked them yet. Now she simply dragged them out from beneath the bed and carried them outside herself.
“Grandpa Huang, Grandma Huang, I only stayed one night at the Huang family home and ate two meals. From now on, I won’t trouble you again.”
Qiu Yinong pulled two yuan from her pocket and stuffed it into Old Madam Huang’s hand.
“This is payment for lodging and meals. I’m settling it now, so please don’t speak about freeloading again in the future.”
“And please rest assured—even though this is my aunt’s home, from this day onward, I won’t step foot in here again, nor will I come to take advantage of even a single cent.”
“I may come from the mountains, but I received a good education and understand the principle of repaying debts. The two thousand yuan my aunt and uncle lent me will naturally be repaid in full, principal and interest, according to the IOU agreement. Please stop watching me constantly over repayment.”
After speaking, she ignored Old Madam Huang’s ugly shriveled face and asked the Cheng sisters for help.
“Sister Yuanyuan, Yuanshu, please help me move the luggage to the Cheng house. I’ll prepare for the wedding there.”
“Alright.”
Cheng Yuanyuan really liked her straightforward personality. She cast a deep glance at Old Madam Huang before taking the largest wooden trunk and heading out first.
Qiu Yinong carried a small cloth bag over her shoulder and another homemade batik-patterned travel bag in her hand. Then she looked toward her younger cousins standing in the corner.
“Huang Zheng, Huang Ya, Huang Bin—you three witnessed everything that happened from the moment I woke up this morning. I hope you’ll truthfully explain everything to Aunt and Uncle.”
“My sudden arrival affected your lives, but it wasn’t my intention.”
“To me, this place is completely unfamiliar. I never wanted to come. It was your parents who insisted on bringing me here.”
“Yesterday I occupied a bed and caused inconvenience for you all. I apologize for that.”
“I’m leaving now and won’t trouble you anymore. Your lives can return to normal, and in the future you won’t need to complain to Grandma Huang about me anymore.”
Huang Zheng was the eldest son and already fifteen years old this year. Huang Ya and Huang Bin were thirteen and ten. All three attended school and could understand the hidden meaning behind her words. Each lowered their heads awkwardly without speaking.
“Let’s go.”
Qiu Yinong no longer looked at them. She nodded to Cheng Yuanche and strode away with the siblings.
The neighbors next door to the Huang family had all been peeking over earlier and heard everything Qiu Yinong said. One old woman curled her lip.
“No wonder this girl was willing to marry without asking for a bride price. She got driven out the moment she arrived here. Afraid of being thrown out with nowhere to stay, she had no choice but to marry into the Cheng family. At least she’ll have a roof over her head there.”
“They’re supposed to be relatives too. Yet after she only stayed one night and ate two meals, they treated her like this. Anyone would feel upset in her place.”
“I don’t think this niece from the Qiu family is some rural country girl. Not only is she pretty and lively-looking, but her temperament and speech are refined too. She’s definitely educated. Even without parents or elders, supporting herself back home probably wouldn’t have been a problem.”
“Didn’t Huang Dachao and his wife lend her two thousand yuan? They’re probably afraid the money will go down the drain, so they brought her over to keep an eye on her repayment.”
“Huang Dachao probably has that intention. But Qiu Mengyuan is still her biological aunt, so her side may be different.”
“The Cheng family was offering a thousand-yuan bride price, yet this girl refused it. I really don’t know what she’s thinking. No wonder Old Madam Huang’s heart hurt like money had flown away right before her eyes. That bride price could’ve repaid half the debt.”
“Exactly. Owing two thousand yuan isn’t a small amount. And the Cheng family is drowning in debt themselves—even more than she owes. They won’t be able to help her much.”
“There’ll probably be more drama to watch in the future.”
“But this girl really is beautiful. Her skin is so tender it looks like you could squeeze water out of it. It’s even softer than my baby’s skin. Could the mountain water inland really nourish people better?”
“Whether inland mountain water nourishes people or not, I don’t know. But I do know this salty seawater definitely doesn’t. It only pickles people into smelling like salted fish.”
“Isn’t that true? Back when we were young, we were blossoms too. Maybe not as fair and delicate as her, but we were once tender ourselves. Now after soaking in seawater every day, we’ve practically become old salted fish.”
“Alright, let’s go, let’s go. Time to head to the Cheng family and drink wedding wine.”
“…”