“Youyou!” Tang Hao couldn’t believe his ears.
Cai Jinhe, however, was delighted.
“Good! Then it’s settled. Youyou, don’t be afraid. Once you marry into the Qin family, you’ll have nothing but good days ahead.”
Tang Youyou had never believed that marrying someone automatically meant living a good life.
But the situation was critical now. If she didn’t get married, she could only wait to be swept up in the coming reckoning.
Based on what she knew about modern Chinese history, those who were punished during such times could be sent down to the countryside, forced to live in cowsheds, work the fields, go hungry, and endure everyone’s contempt.
Ugh!
Tang Youyou shuddered, goosebumps rising all over her body.
Thank goodness Tang Yue had suddenly lost her mind and proposed swapping their marriages.
Thinking of this, Tang Youyou gave Tang Yue a grateful smile.
But she happened to catch the malice in her eyes before she could hide it.
Then there was the fact that she was willing to give up being the Qin family’s eldest daughter-in-law and go to the countryside to suffer.
With all her years of experience reading novels, Tang Youyou could only come to one conclusion.
Tang Yue had either transmigrated into a book…
Or she had been reborn!
What?!
They both had their own cheat abilities, so why did Tang Yue get the ability to see the future?
Tang Youyou rubbed her chin and narrowed her eyes.
It seemed the Qin family was some kind of dragon’s den or tiger’s lair.
But it didn’t matter!
Compared to going to the countryside and living a miserable life, she could always get married first and divorce later. By then, she might even be able to get a share of the family property.
She wouldn’t lose out.
With that thought, Tang Youyou’s eyes rolled, and she nestled into Cai Jinhe’s arms, acting spoiled.
“Grandma, I knew you loved me the most. But if I’m marrying into the Qin family… what about my dowry?”
She deliberately stopped there.
“It’s not that I’m greedy for a little dowry. But Grandma, you said it yourself. Second Uncle wants Yue and me to get married because he hopes my husband’s family will help us.
“The Qin family is a prestigious clan. If my dowry is too modest, I’m worried they’ll look down on me.
“Of course, if little sister Yue were marrying into the Qin family, I wouldn’t ask for much of a dowry.”
No matter who was being biased, having things in her own hands was what mattered.
Seeing the hesitation on Cai Jinhe’s face, Tang Youyou smiled sweetly and suggested, “How about this? I can’t bear to see little sister Yue go to the countryside and suffer either. Whatever dowry she was supposed to receive, I’ll take the same amount.
“I know Grandma loves me, but we can’t shortchange little sister Yue either, right?”
She had already put things this far, and with Tang Yue constantly signaling to her from the side, Cai Jinhe could only grit her teeth and agree.
“I’ll discuss the dowry with your second uncle. You have to understand, our family is going through the hardest time right now.
“Since you’ve agreed, you two should leave for now. I haven’t slept well these past few days. I need to get some rest.”
She rubbed her forehead.
Tang Youyou immediately showed concern.
“Are you okay, Grandma? I learned how to give massages. Let your granddaughter rub your temples for you.”
Before she even finished speaking, her hands were already working.
Cai Jinhe had initially wanted to stop her. She knew exactly what kind of personality the granddaughter she had raised herself had.
But after just two presses, she was so comfortable she almost groaned.
These past few days, the impending reckoning of the Tang family had left her anxious and unable to sleep. Her body had been feeling worse with every passing day.
And now…
Miraculously, she felt better.
“Feels good, right?” Tang Youyou asked with narrowed eyes.
Cai Jinhe hummed in response.
Tang Youyou immediately took the opportunity to claim credit.
“Grandma, you don’t need to reward me. Taking care of Grandma is something we younger ones are happy to do. Besides, I’m getting married soon. I don’t even know how much longer I’ll be able to take care of you.
“If… if the Qin family isn’t willing to help us…”
Her eyes immediately reddened.
“Grandma, my own mother died when I was little. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve…”
She sniffled.
Ignoring Tang Hao, who was practically collapsing behind her, Tang Youyou continued pouring on the filial affection.
“Maybe I shouldn’t get married after all. I’ll go to the countryside with Grandma and take care of you for the rest of my life.”
As expected, Cai Jinhe felt warm and comforted inside.
This was the granddaughter she had raised herself.
But there was no way she was going to let them go to the countryside.
“Nonsense!”
She straightened up and waved Tang Youyou’s hands away.
“You have to get married. The Tang family is still counting on the Qin family to help us.”
“But…” Tang Youyou hesitated.
“But I don’t know what Qin Yuchen likes, and I don’t know what his elders like either. I’m afraid I won’t do a good job.
“Little sister Yue is so clever. Why don’t…”
“No need!”
Tang Yue, who had just been wondering when Tang Youyou had become so clever, immediately snapped back to reality.
“Cousin, Qin Yuchen was originally your fiancé. How could I possibly steal him from you? I’ll marry the man in the countryside instead.”
Tang Youyou glanced at her.
She was even more certain now.
The only question was whether Tang Yue had transmigrated into a novel or been reborn.
Suppressing the thoughts swirling in her eyes, Tang Youyou sighed.
“Fine. It’s just that I’m not very good with words, and I don’t know how to win over the elders.
“How about this…”
She suddenly gasped.
“I heard Grandma Qin really likes antiques, calligraphy, and paintings. I noticed our family has quite a lot of antiques with long histories. How about Grandma gives some to me as a welcome gift for becoming her granddaughter-in-law?”
The moment she heard this, Cai Jinhe’s face darkened.
Before she could object, Tang Youyou immediately began sweet-talking her.
“Don’t worry, Grandma. I won’t take any of the really valuable pieces. The ordinary ones will do.
“Grandma can even count them as part of my dowry. Wouldn’t it look impressive to send them to the Qin family?
“As long as I win over Grandma Qin, won’t getting the Qin family’s help for the Tang family be a sure thing?”
Cai Jinhe thought about it.
That did make sense.
“Then…”
“I knew Grandma was the best!”
Tang Youyou suddenly threw herself forward, interrupting Cai Jinhe just as she was about to personally select the pieces.
Like a butterfly fluttering around the room, she began looking through everything.
“I want this one, this one, and this one…”
Eventually, she stopped in front of a modern-era Chinese ink painting in the corner.
Her eyes lit up.
The entire room was filled with treasures, all of them Cai Jinhe’s personal collection. Normally, she would never bear to give any of them away.
Seeing that the pieces Tang Youyou had selected weren’t particularly famous, Cai Jinhe’s expression finally relaxed.
After thinking for a moment, she nodded.
“You can take those. After all, you’re Grandma’s favorite granddaughter.”
What an act.
Tang Youyou mocked her inwardly.
But on the outside, she beamed with delight.
She grabbed the already-jealous Tang Yue and stuffed several valuable antiques into her arms.
She even grabbed an empty trunk to pack her own things.
“Here, take this one too. And this one. Hmm? What are you standing there for? Hurry up and thank Grandma!”
Tang Yue was somewhat dumbfounded by her behavior.
But once she had good things in her hands, of course she was happy.
After all, she hadn’t received any of these treasures when she married into the Qin family in her previous life.
She hesitated as she looked toward Cai Jinhe, but her hands steadily gathered several antiques into her arms.
The suspicion that had just arisen in her mind disappeared.
Sure enough, Tang Youyou was just a big-chested, empty-headed fool. She couldn’t even tell good antiques from bad ones.
The reason she had been able to enjoy such a carefree life in her previous incarnation must have been because she had married Zhao Yunzhou.
Tang Youyou, don’t blame me!
Everyone looks out for themselves. You might as well marry into the Qin family and suffer in my place.
Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Uncle.
No… perhaps deep down, you’d actually be happy if Uncle and Zhou Ping were the ones suffering.
Tang Youyou closed the trunk and dusted off her hands.
“Grandma, get some good rest. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”
She tried pulling the handle beside the wooden trunk to drag it away, but it was rather heavy.
Without thinking twice, she turned to Tang Hao, who was still lost in his own wounded thoughts.
“Dad, what are you standing there for? Grandma needs to rest. Come help me!”
That intimate tone…
Tang Hao’s body jolted.
He suddenly came back to his senses and stared at Tang Youyou in disbelief.
Tang Youyou sighed inwardly.
The original owner really wasn’t exactly the brightest.
And now she understood why.
Apparently, being a little clueless ran in the family.
What she didn’t know was that Tang Hao was making the exact same complaint in his heart.
This daughter of mine really has all the looks and none of the brains.
I went through so much trouble to get this marriage swapped away. Why did she have to bring it back?
Forget it.
At the end of the day, I can’t bear to let my daughter go to the countryside and suffer.
I’ll have to think this through more carefully.
After mentally preparing himself, Tang Hao put on a smile and answered.
Then he happily walked over to Tang Youyou.
Hehe.
It’s been so long since my daughter called me so affectionately.