Hearing those words, Ye Mengyi trembled with anger. She had never imagined Old Madam Ye could be so shameless.
Lu Qingshan’s expression immediately darkened as well. Clenching his fists tightly, he said coldly,
“Compensation for raising her? She actually dares say that? The suffering Mengyi endured in the Ye family over these years could never be repaid with any so-called upbringing fee!”
The village elder sighed heavily.
“I know the Ye family is unreasonable. But if this matter truly reaches the county magistrate’s office, it still won’t look good for you. After all, the Ye family is technically Mengyi’s maternal family. If word spreads, people will accuse you of being unfilial.”
Ye Mengyi bit down hard, determination flashing in her eyes.
“Grandpa Li, I’m not afraid. I already severed ties with the Ye family—they are not my family anymore! If they dare report me to the county office, then I’ll expose everything they did to me over the years. I believe the magistrate will give me justice!”
The village elder looked at the unwavering resolve in her eyes and nodded approvingly.
“Good! That’s the spirit. I admire your strength.”
After a pause, he continued,
“But just to avoid future trouble, I still suggest that you finalize the marriage as soon as possible. Once that’s done, the Ye family will have no excuse to keep harassing you.”
Lu Qingshan nodded immediately.
“That’s exactly what we were thinking.”
The village elder smiled.
“Good. Then at noon today, I’ll host two banquet tables at my house and invite the villagers to witness the marriage. It may be simple, but at least it’ll give the two of you a proper beginning.”
Lu Qingshan and Ye Mengyi quickly thanked him.
The elder waved his hand dismissively, then pulled a small pouch of silver from his robe and handed it to Lu Qingshan.
“Qingshan, this is one tael of silver I managed to save. Take it. Mengyi’s injury is important—use it for treatment first. If it’s not enough, I’ll think of another way.”
Looking at the silver in the elder’s hand, Lu Qingshan’s eyes reddened.
He knew the elder’s life wasn’t easy either. That one tael had been saved bit by bit through years of frugality.
“Grandpa Li… I can’t accept this.”
But the elder forcibly pressed the silver into his hand.
“Take it. Treat it as my wedding gift to the two of you. Live your lives well from now on, and don’t let down this good girl.”
Lu Qingshan stared at the silver pouch, emotions churning inside him. Then he bowed deeply.
“Grandpa Li, I’ll never forget this kindness for the rest of my life.”
The elder simply waved a hand and turned to leave.
Holding the silver, Lu Qingshan looked toward Ye Mengyi with gratitude filling his eyes.
Ye Mengyi looked back at him and smiled softly.
She knew now that her choice had not been wrong.
This man might be poor, but he was upright, kind, and responsible.
This family might be humble, but it was filled with warmth and love.
At noon, two banquet tables were set up in the village elder’s courtyard.
The villagers all came, offering blessings to Lu Qingshan and Ye Mengyi.
Old Madam Ye and the others came as well. They stood in a corner with dark expressions, clearly wanting to cause trouble, but one stern glance from the village elder silenced them.
The feast was simple—just a few vegetable dishes and a pot of rice wine—but everyone ate happily.
Standing in the center of the courtyard, the village elder held a marriage certificate in his hands and announced loudly:
“Today, I bear witness to the marriage of Lu Qingshan and Ye Mengyi. From this day forward, Ye Mengyi is the wife of Lu Qingshan. In life she belongs to the Lu family, and in death she belongs to the Lu family. The Ye family and Lu family shall have no further ties for generations to come!”
With that, he handed the marriage certificate to them.
The bright red document glowed warmly under the sunlight.
Lu Qingshan’s fingers were rough and strong. Ye Mengyi’s fingertips bore thin calluses.
As they accepted the certificate together, their fingers brushed lightly.
Both instinctively lifted their eyes toward each other.
Their gazes met.
There was no dramatic romance in that moment—only a quiet certainty forged through hardship.
A shy smile appeared on Lu Qingshan’s dark face, sincerity filling the corners of his eyes.
Ye Mengyi’s lips curved upward too, the light in her eyes brighter than the midday sun above them.
Sunlight filtered through the vines climbing the courtyard walls, casting mottled shadows across the two of them.
Warm and golden.
As though it had finally driven away the last traces of darkness from the past.
Ye Mengyi slowly turned her gaze across the people gathered in the courtyard.
Grandma Lu sat in the front chair, every wrinkle on her face relaxed with joy. Her walking stick trembled lightly as she kept murmuring,
“Good… good…”
Lu Erhe and Xu Ru stood together nearby. Xu Ru secretly wiped away tears while Lu Erhe patted her shoulder, unable to hide his relief.
Lu Sanhe’s family was smiling too. Sun Yanfang even mouthed silently toward her:
“We’re family now.”
Little Lu Qingsong and Lu Qinglian squeezed through the crowd, tilting their tiny faces upward at her with silly grins and sparkling eyes.
And around them stood the villagers—ordinary farmers wearing patched clothing, yet carrying honest kindness on their faces.
Some were saying,
“Qingshan and Mengyi truly suit each other.”
Others muttered,
“They’ll definitely have a good life in the future.”
Looking at all those smiling faces, Ye Mengyi felt something inside her chest swell warmly.
For the first time, she truly understood—
from the moment she accepted that marriage certificate, her new life had genuinely begun.
She was no longer the orphan girl living under someone else’s roof, enduring endless humiliation.
Now she was the Lu family’s daughter-in-law.
A member of this poor yet warm household.
The road ahead would not be easy.
There was barren land.
Hardship.
And the ever-watchful Ye family waiting for opportunities to cause trouble.
But Ye Mengyi was no longer afraid.
She turned toward Lu Qingshan beside her—the quiet man who always stepped forward to protect her when it mattered most.
Strength filled her heart.
As long as the two of them worked together, even the hardest days could eventually be endured.
Her thoughts had already begun planning ahead:
The mushrooms from the back mountain could be gathered in larger quantities, dried, and sold in town for grain and seeds.
She still remembered the high-yield crop cultivation methods she had learned in her previous life. Perhaps she could improve the local rice and wheat varieties here.
Once they had extra money, she would repair the thatched roof first, then make new clothes for Grandma and the rest of the family…
She wanted to grow enough food so everyone could eat their fill.
She wanted to build sturdy homes.
She wanted every member of the Lu family to stand proudly and live smiling lives.
In this unfamiliar era, she would rely on her own hands and wisdom to create a life completely different from the original owner’s bleak fate.
A lively, fulfilling life.
“What are you thinking about?”
Seeing her staring into the distance, Lu Qingshan asked softly, hidden gentleness lingering in his voice.
Ye Mengyi came back to herself and met his concerned gaze.
She shook her head hard, then nodded just as firmly.
“I’m thinking about our future.”
She tightened her grip on the marriage certificate, as though grasping tightly onto hope itself.
“It’ll get better,” she said quietly but firmly. “Things will definitely keep getting better.”
Lu Qingshan looked at the light shining in her eyes and nodded heavily.
“Mm.”
Then he gently brushed away a loose strand of hair beside her temple, the movement cautious and precious.
Here—
she would live a completely different life.