“Dear in-laws, don’t worry. Look how lovely our Qingyi is—her figure, her hips—she’s sure to bear sons. Since we’re here, let her and Annian complete the formalities as soon as possible. She’ll stay here from now on to serve Annian.”
The voices outside the door jolted Su Qingyi’s muddled mind awake.
Like a bolt from the blue, they shattered all her thoughts.
It was her mother, Wang Cuiping’s voice.
But… what did she mean?
Hadn’t she died already?
Back then, her mother had said a distant aunt had introduced her to a match.
A soldier in the army.
Just from seeing his photo, she had fallen in love with He Annian at first sight and agreed.
Since he couldn’t return from the army, her mother sent her to the military base, where she married him.
She had intended to live a good life with him, but after serving him diligently her whole life, she only discovered in the end that his heart had always belonged to his deceased elder brother’s wife—his widowed sister-in-law.
She was also in the army, a core member of the Cultural and Artistic Troupe.
The two had long been carrying on a secret affair.
She was merely a fig leaf his family had bought for him.
No wonder he had never touched her in all their years together, yet made her bear the blame for their infertility.
Moreover, with her naturally alluring looks and skin as smooth and fair as mutton-fat jade despite doing farm work all day, rumors spread that she was the reincarnation of a fox spirit, and she endured gossip her entire life.
Only on her deathbed did she learn that his widowed sister-in-law’s son was actually his.
He already had a happy family—only she had suffered in the cold kiln.
“What, didn’t you marry me for the money? Back then, my father gave your mother three hundred yuan—enough to buy several good pigs. What more are you dissatisfied with?”
“You, a country girl, managed to live in the military compound, and now you live in a city apartment—all thanks to me.”
“Look at you, with that fox-spirit appearance. Just because I don’t touch you, you’re upset without a man. Are you that desperate?”
She vaguely remembered the day she learned the truth. Unable to hold back, she erupted, venting a lifetime of pent-up resentment.
He merely looked down at her with disdain, his scornful gaze and flippant words like a steel blade, piercing straight into her heart.
So, he wasn’t the match her aunt had introduced—her mother had sold her to his family for three hundred yuan.
Three hundred yuan—that was the price of her entire life.
It condemned her to be the He family’s unpaid servant for a lifetime, wasting her years, her skin fading from jade-like smoothness to the dullness of age.
Before her death, she was filled with regret.
But what was happening now?
Could it be that heaven had eyes—she had actually been reborn!
She immediately looked up and caught sight of the calendar on the wall: May 19, 1980, the day she had followed her mother to the army base to marry He Annian.
Combined with the familiar scene, she finally dared to believe it—she had been reborn!
Recalling the misery of her past life, she jolted to her feet in shock.
No, in this life, she absolutely would not marry He Annian.
She flung the door open and rushed out.
“Mom, I won’t marry him!”
Everyone sitting in the main room turned to look at her in unison.
Political Commissar Chen Ganggang, who had just arrived, hadn’t even taken a sip of tea and was stunned by her words.
“What’s going on here?”
Wang Cuiping was also taken aback.
But she quickly regained her composure, reaching out to pinch Su Qingyi’s arm.
“Didn’t you agree without hesitation before we came? Why are you getting shy now that you’ve seen him? Don’t be so timid—just wait peacefully to be a bride.”
With that, she quickly tried to make amends.
“Xiao He, Political Commissar, don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s just shy.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a familiar voice came from nearby.
“There’s no need to be shy. Don’t worry, once we’re married, you’ll stay here and accompany the army. I’ll treat you well.”
Hearing that voice again, Su Qingyi felt as if struck by lightning.
She slowly raised her head and looked ahead.
The man from her memories was young and handsome.
He sat steadily and upright on a wooden stool, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his military uniform only enhancing his extraordinary presence.
His cold, stern eyes swept over with a feigned gentleness.
He Annian!
The current Company Commander of the Sixth Regiment, the Military Department’s most promising young cadre.
So young and accomplished, so impeccably dressed—yet only she knew how vile, despicable, and disgusting he truly was inside.
No, she absolutely could not marry him today.
With this thought, she fell to her knees with a thud before the Political Commissar.
Her expression was resolute and determined.
“Political Commissar, I know you are a good commissar who stands for the people, but I really don’t want to get married. I’m being forced into this. Uncle He gave my mother three hundred yuan, and she just wants to sell me off. This is human trafficking—it’s illegal. I believe the army would never allow such a thing to happen. I beg you to stand up for me!”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned.
He Wenzhou, He Annian’s father, who had followed them in, widened his eyes in disbelief.
“Sister Wang, what did you tell Qingyi? How did this three hundred yuan turn into money for human trafficking? If she’s unwilling and you still took our money, isn’t that marriage fraud?”
Wang Cuiping was even more shocked. She never expected Su Qingyi to know about this.
It was like a cooked duck about to fly away.
Her eyes darting nervously, she immediately reached out and jabbed Su Qingyi hard on the head.
“What nonsense are you talking? That’s a betrothal gift. How can you make it sound so ugly? You don’t even want an officer? Do you want to go back with me and marry the butcher from the east end of the village?”
Her words were half angry, half threatening.
Su Qingyi’s heart sank.
Her fingers unconsciously clenched her skirt.
She knew Wang Cuiping was selling her off just to get money for her brother to build a house and marry.
In her past life, she had been kept in the dark, constantly sending money home, but when she died, they couldn’t even be bothered to collect her body.
Now, if she refused He Annian, Wang Cuiping would surely sell her off again.
What difference would the outcome make from her past life?
No, she absolutely could not sit back and wait for her fate.
Seeing her biting her lip tightly, it was He Annian who spoke first, his voice cold.
“You’re making a scene and going back on your word just for money, aren’t you? The He family can add another hundred at most. If you agree, you stay. If not, you leave. Do you think I, He Annian, can’t find a wife?”
This was his usual tactic—slap first, then offer a sweet date. In her past life, he had controlled Su Qingyi exactly like this.
Su Qingyi couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.
Before she could speak, Wang Cuiping was already overjoyed, grinning from ear to ear, and immediately slapped her thigh in agreement.
“Of course, of course! I’m her mother. I have the final say in this marriage. Her documents are here, and the letter of introduction is ready. Please, leader, approve the marriage permit today.”
Seeing that she had already taken out her documents and was about to hand them to the Political Commissar, Su Qingyi grew frantic.
What should she do?
It was the 1980s. As a young woman, the only way to avoid being forced back into marriage was to find a job immediately and get as far away from home as possible.
But in her past life, she had wasted an entire lifetime, doing nothing but serving a large family—old and young alike—and knew nothing else.
Just then, a guard hurriedly ran in.
“Political Commissar, Pei Tuan has dismissed the nanny again. This is already the sixth one.”