The Yang family was not about to back down either. The eldest Yang brother, Yang Haibin, said, "She's already married into your Jiang Family. If you wanted to call off the engagement, why didn't you do it earlier? Now you come asking us to return the bride price after taking my sister to get the marriage certificate—that makes no sense anywhere."
The second Yang brother, Yang Haian, also chimed in, "Exactly! My sister was even taken back to the Jiang Family by her mother-in-law and brother-in-law yesterday, spent the night there, and now you come to break off the engagement. We're going to sue your family for rape!"
Outside, the crowd was buzzing with discussion. Some said, "The Yang family has a point. Who calls off an engagement after getting the marriage certificate and sleeping together?"
"Yeah, once it's called off, doesn't that make her a divorcee? How will Yang Yiyang ever marry again after this?"
"Right, you don't sleep with someone for a night and then call it off. If you wanted to break it off, why not do it yesterday? The Jiang Family is really shameless."
"Maybe the Yang girl wasn't virtuous, and they only realized after sleeping with her, so they're calling it off now."
"Could be."
"Otherwise, why wait until after sleeping together to call it off? Seems the Yang family isn't so respectable either."
Others argued, "You can't say that. The Yang family asked for too much bride price—isn't that just selling their daughter? Trafficking people is illegal too."
"But it was a mutual agreement. If the Jiang Family didn't send the money, would the Yang family have gone and robbed them?"
Fourth Son Yang Haihe knew that the money was mainly meant to buy him a job. If it had to be returned, he would have no choice but to face being sent down to the countryside.
So he shouted, "We don't have the money, but we have the person—take her back yourselves!"
The Yang family was now united as never before. "Right! Who sleeps with someone and then returns them? No money, but we have the person."
Jiang's second brother grew anxious—this wasn't looking good for them. He thought about how his brother had been injured and unconscious since returning home yesterday, so he definitely hadn't slept with her yet.
So he said, "She hasn't been slept with! She's still untouched!"
Yang Haihe retorted, "You say she hasn't been slept with, but how would you know? Only my brother-in-law would know that! Who are you? Did you spend the night at the foot of my sister's bed?"
Another round of uproarious laughter erupted from the crowd.
Jiang's second brother flushed red with anger from the laughter. "Stop talking nonsense! She fainted as soon as she arrived at the Jiang Family yesterday and hasn't woken up since!"
Mother Yang wailed, "My poor daughter! Beaten half to death as soon as she married into the Jiang Family! She's been lying there since yesterday, and you didn't even take her to the hospital—you just want her dead!"
Yang Haian thought to himself that he couldn't let the Jiang family gain the upper hand, or they'd definitely demand the money back—and the money absolutely could not be returned.
So he added, "You say she fainted yesterday, so why didn't you take her to the hospital? Did you want my sister to die from illness? You're all murderers trying to kill my sister!"
The two police officers standing outside had heard most of the story and had a rough idea of what was going on.
Just as they were about to step in, the director of the Street Office arrived with a few people, along with representatives from the Women's Federation.
"Make way, everyone! Director Li is here!"
Someone noticed the two police officers at the back and called out, "The police are here too, everyone make way!"
Knowing that their family had taken so much money and wasn't in the right, the Yang family decided to strike first.
Mother Yang immediately scrambled up from the ground. Crying as if her own mother had died, with snot and tears streaming down her face, she wiped her sleeve across her face and rushed forward to grab Director Li's clothes.
Seeing her disheveled state, Director Li hurriedly said, "Speak if you must, but don't pull and tug like this—so many people are watching!"
Mother Yang cried, "The Jiang Family married our Yiyang yesterday, and everyone saw her leave with them. Now she's been beaten like this and carried back, who knows how much longer she has left to live."
Putting on the act of a grieving mother, she sobbed, "This is the daughter I carried for ten months, raised to adulthood, and even sent through high school!"
Yang Yiyang thought to herself, if not for the original host's memories, she might have believed she was the Yang family's treasured child from birth.
In reality, the original host had been treated like a beast of burden for the Lao Yang Family since she was three—cooking, washing clothes, doing chores. Which member of the Yang family hadn't sucked the life out of her? And now they had even sold her like a pig by the pound for the highest price possible.
"Director Li, Comrade Policemen, you must stand up for my daughter!"
Father Jiang's face flushed with anger. This family truly had no shame—they could twist death into life.
"You're talking nonsense! It was your family that swindled a thousand yuan from us. How is it suddenly our Jiang Family's fault?"
"You forced this unwanted daughter onto our family and still dared to demand a thousand yuan. You're selling your daughter—you deserve to be shot!"
Father Jiang thought to himself, how dare such trash demand a thousand yuan from his family? She should just die—the sooner, the better. What a jinx, half-dead on the very first day of marriage.
"I am the head of this household. My son gets married, and I, his father, know nothing about it. Do you think that makes any sense?"
Seeing that the crowd was now on his side, he continued, "The money was even stolen from me. The savings of a lifetime, swindled away by your Yang family in collusion. You're nothing but frauds—Comrade Policemen, arrest them!"
Jiang Anguo also pulled at the policemen, saying, "Comrade Policemen, make the Yang family return our money. If they don't, arrest them!"
Hearing they might be arrested, the Yang family naturally refused to accept it. They jumped up again, refuting and cursing.
"Bullshit! Did we go to your Jiang Family to demand money? You brought it over yourselves. If anyone should be arrested, it's you!"
Yang Haian pulled Jiang Zihao in front of everyone and asked, "Brother-in-law, tell us—wasn't it you who came to the Yang family and said you had taken a liking to my sister and wanted to marry her? Wasn't it?"
Jiang Zihao said, "Yes, I like Yang Yiyang."
The Jiang Family wished they could beat this useless burden to death right then and there.
The head of the Yang family, Yang Jun'an, now stepped forward with an air of authority. "Director Li, Comrade Policemen."
"None of this has anything to do with us. Our Yang family knew nothing about it. My son-in-law took a fancy to my daughter and insisted on marrying her."
"Yesterday, my son-in-law and his mother came to our Yang family with the money, saying that once the bride price was given, they would take her to register the marriage."
Putting on an innocent expression, he continued, "We're marrying off a daughter who has studied for over ten years—we can't just give her away without a bride price, can we? That would be improper. So we agreed to their request, and our Fourth Son even accompanied them to register."
Yang Yiyang thought: Wasn't it because they were afraid the original host would refuse to register and be sent back that they made Fourth Son pressure them into going? Now they make it sound so noble, even acting as witnesses. Could they be any more shameless?
"Once she was taken away, the bride price naturally belonged to our Yang family. We didn't rob or swindle anyone. It was your Jiang Family who came begging to marry her."
Mother Yang also said, "The betrothal gift amount was voluntarily given by you. Since the in-laws value my daughter, I'll accept whatever is offered. How is that unreasonable?"
Father Jiang said, "The money is mine. Without my consent, it doesn't count."
Elder Brother Yang retorted, "You think it doesn't count just because you say so? The state issued them a marriage certificate—they are husband and wife. If the state says it counts, then it counts. Are you greater than the state? Are you trying to rebel?"
Upon hearing this, Father Jiang was terrified—such accusations could lead to execution. He dared not agree.
"You're talking nonsense! I never said that. Don't falsely accuse me!"
The police, the Women's Federation, and the Street Office were all encountering such a situation for the first time. Each side had their own arguments, and neither would yield.
Finally, the police said, "Regardless of anything, it's wrong for you to injure someone. Whether you agree or not, assault is illegal."
Father Jiang insisted, "She ran into it herself. We didn't hit her."
Father Yang, taking the moral high ground, said, "You say she ran into it herself, so it must be true? My daughter is an educated person. Would she be foolish enough to run into something and kill herself?"
Seeing that the person was on the verge of death—otherwise, she wouldn't have been carried here—he added, "If you can get her up to admit she ran into it herself, then I'll believe you. Otherwise, I say you hit her. Do you have any witnesses or evidence?"
The Jiang Family was indeed in the wrong. Who would have thought a push could cause such severe injury?
At this point, they were left speechless.
Director Li also said, "Whether you agree or not, the money was delivered by your wife. Husband and wife are one entity—you can't blame others for this."
The Women's Federation added, "The Yang Family accepting a thousand yuan in betrothal gifts from the Jiang Family is excessive. At the very least, they should provide some dowry in return."
Jiang Zihao was no fool. Hearing this, he knew it was advantageous for him and his wife.
So he said, "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, why don't you give half as a dowry for Yiyang?"
Yang Haihe immediately wanted to hit someone. Was he dreaming? Money already in their pockets, and he wanted it back?
"Impossible. Ten yuan for two new pieces of clothing is enough."
Jiang Zihao wouldn't have it. "My wife, your daughter, has been injured since last night and still hasn't woken up. My father says we have no money, so she hasn't been taken to the hospital yet. If she doesn't get treatment soon, she'll die."
Jiang Zihao wasn't foolish—if he didn't speak up now, he might never get another chance.
"Didn't you just say you value Yiyang the most? Then at least give some money to save her, right?"
At this point, the crowd chimed in, "That's right. Taking a thousand yuan is too much. If you can't even give back some dowry for her treatment, it's like selling your daughter."
Someone who had a grudge against the Yangs also stirred the pot, "Exactly! The police should arrest the Yang Family. Trading people is illegal."
The Yang Family knew that with the situation escalating to this point, they couldn't resolve it without offering something.
The Jiang Family was also waiting for the dowry to be returned—essentially, for the money to go back to the Jiangs.
Even if they couldn't get it all back, getting some of it would still be good.
Yang Jun'an said, "Fine, we agree to provide some dowry for our daughter to take to the Jiang Family."
At this moment, Yang Yiyang, who was lying on the ground pretending to be dead, quietly opened her eyes a slit and saw Jiang Zihao standing by her feet.