“Uncle Yao, Auntie Yao, I’ll remember the ‘respect’ your family has shown me today for the rest of my life.”
The voice that came from Cheng Yuanche’s throat was colder than the sea wind.
Though his leg injury had not yet healed, the hard, upright bearing unique to a soldier remained undiminished. The tightly pressed line of his lips and the turbulent emotions hidden deep in his eyes revealed the fury he was suppressing.
The Yao couple felt intimidated by his imposing aura, but the words had already been spoken, and things had reached this point. There was no turning back now, so they could only stubbornly continue.
“Yulan is the precious daughter we raised in the palm of our hands. She’s our only girl. As parents, we have to think about her future.”
“Our Yulan has a stable job and income. She’s pretty too. What we’re asking for isn’t excessive — it’s just that your Cheng family can’t afford it. You can’t give her happiness, so don’t blame everything on us.”
Back then, it had actually been Mother Yao who eagerly asked a matchmaker to arrange this engagement with the Cheng family.
Among all the young men of their generation, Cheng Yuanche had once been the most outstanding — handsome, good-tempered, upright, and already a deputy battalion commander at a young age, with limitless prospects ahead of him.
She had valued him highly before and had feared another family might snatch him away first, so she hurried to secure the engagement early.
But now, his leg was injured, and there was a strong chance he would remain disabled for life.
His father, Cheng Guangrong, was so ill he could barely walk anymore, let alone go out fishing to earn money. His two older brothers had borrowed money to buy fishing boats, yet before they could even start making profits, the boats sank. Now they were still stuck in lawsuits with the shipyard.
The Cheng family was drowning in debt. Even Cheng Yuanche’s military savings and allowances had all gone toward repayment. Rumor said that even today’s bride price money had been borrowed from his comrades.
In the eyes of the Yao parents, the Cheng family’s debt was a bottomless pit. They didn’t want their daughter marrying into hardship and helping fill that endless hole.
Most importantly, their daughter had already set her sights elsewhere.
Of course, they would never openly say that.
“Good. Very good.”
Father Cheng’s health was poor. Leaning weakly against a sewing machine someone had brought over, he gripped the edges so tightly his knuckles turned white.
His weathered face was full of rage.
“The Cheng family may have fallen on hard times, but we’re not dead yet. It’s not your place to humiliate us.”
“Yuanche was injured protecting the country as a soldier. Instead of respecting or sympathizing with him, you humiliate and trample him like this. Do you think our Cheng family has no one left?”
Cheng Yuanche’s uncle was so furious that he somehow grabbed a carrying pole from nearby and pointed it angrily at Father Yao.
“Today, I’m making the decision on his behalf — this marriage is off! Our Cheng family doesn’t want your Yao Yulan anymore! But for today’s humiliation, I’m settling this score with you!”
“What are you trying to do?!”
Father Yao’s face changed drastically in fright as he hurried backward.
The Cheng family had many strong young men. Without needing any instructions from their elders, they all surged forward angrily, completely overpowering the four Yao men in sheer presence.
Mother Yao panicked and screamed,
“You’re not planning to start a fight, are you? If you hit someone today, I’ll report you to the police!”
“Don’t fight! Don’t fight!”
The village brigade leader immediately pushed through the crowd and stood between the men from both families. Lowering his voice, he tried persuading Father Cheng and Cheng Yuanche’s uncle:
“Guangrong, Brother Guangyi, if your family strikes first today, you’ll lose the moral high ground. It could even affect Yuanche’s future and the futures of the younger generation.”
Still boiling with rage, Cheng Yuanche’s uncle felt as though cold water had suddenly been poured over him. He instantly calmed down, though his aged eyes still burned with fury.
Seeing them settle down, the brigade leader quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Then he coldly glanced toward the Yao couple.
“Yao Daqiang, you have three sons. None of them are married yet.”
Father Yao’s eyes flickered nervously, and he hid behind the doorway without saying a word.
“Today, your family has gone too far. Everyone in Wankou Village saw you deliberately raise the bride price at the last minute. In the future, when your three sons try to marry wives, just wait for their future in-laws to copy your example.”
Only then did Father Yao realize the consequences.
He was just an ordinary fisherman who only cared about immediate gains and had never thought that far ahead. The brigade leader’s reminder instantly changed his expression.
Even the Yao family’s third son, who had been firmly on his parents’ side moments earlier, now looked troubled.
Especially the eldest and second sons, Yao Haiyang and Yao Haibo, who were already old enough for marriage. Since this directly affected their own futures, their thoughts immediately began shifting.
The two brothers exchanged glances, and both looked conflicted.
“Oh my, families with daughters should really learn from this! What an excellent way to get rich! Why didn’t I think of this before?”
A woman who had never gotten along with Mother Yao immediately seized the opportunity to shout loudly.
Then she deliberately pointed at someone in the crowd.
“Hey, Old Wang’s family! Didn’t the Yao family already spread word that Yao Haiyang likes your daughter? Look carefully — your future in-laws are setting an example for you today!”
“Your daughter is also a precious treasure you raised with hardship, not some worthless girl raised eating mud. Remember to double the bride price! And agree on thirty-two legs beforehand too. If the Yao family can’t prepare everything, don’t let the bride leave the house — just block them outside like today!”
“Yu Dazui, shut your mouth!”
Now that the knife had turned back against her, Mother Yao finally tasted the pain herself and immediately exploded in fury.
“My mouth belongs to me. I’ll say whatever I want. What’s it to you?”
Yu Dazui wasn’t afraid of her at all. She even raised her voice in mocking sarcasm:
“All families planning to marry into the Yao family should learn from this! When marrying off daughters, demand sky-high bride prices and make a killing. Don’t miss such a wonderful money-making opportunity!”
“Eight hundred yuan plus thirty-two legs! I’ve never heard of such a huge bride price in my entire life. This isn’t marrying off a daughter — this is selling one under another name!”
“The men in each household would have to spend half a year drifting at sea without eating or drinking to earn that kind of money. But selling a daughter only requires moving your lips a little. Everyone should learn from Old Yao’s family!”
Yu Dazui was the brigade leader’s younger sister-in-law. She had a fiery personality and constantly clashed with Mother Yao. They argued often and had even fought physically over trivial matters before.
Still, she wasn’t an unreasonable person.
The brigade leader didn’t stop her from speaking. Instead, he allowed her to finish before sweeping his gaze over the Yao family’s extended relatives who were watching the spectacle.
“Your Yao family still has many unmarried daughters. Today, Yao Daqiang and his wife pulled this stunt, yet none of you stepped forward to stop them. You let them behave shamelessly. In the future, I’m afraid no one will dare marry your daughters. They may all end up old maids at home.”
“This is their family’s matter. It has nothing to do with us.”
“That’s right. Yao Yulan’s marriage is decided by her parents and brothers. We don’t have the right to interfere.”
“We also think what they did was inappropriate. We were just about to criticize them.”
“…”
The Yao family’s relatives had originally only been watching for entertainment. Earlier, when the Cheng family rushed forward angrily, some of them had even wanted to help.
But now that the matter threatened their own children’s future marriages, they immediately lost all desire to support the Yao family and instead desperately tried to distance themselves from them.