Lu Dongsheng came to his senses. He half‑clenched his rough, sun‑darkened fist and coughed into it.
“Ahem… well…
Miss, you mustn’t marry a man like that. Before you’re even wed, he’s carrying on with another woman and he’s even raised a hand to you. Take my advice: don’t do it.”
Zhang Shengli’s mouth twitched. Damn, that’s a crafty move practically claiming her right in front of everyone.
Jiang Xiaofei really was a fool. A fine girl like this, and he throws her away for Song Min? Did he honestly think he could handle someone like her?
It was easy to see from the sidelines and Zhang Shengli saw it all.
Tian Cuifen was already furious that Su Ying refused to back down. Now seeing a strange man step in, she flew into a rage.
She rolled up her sleeves, tossed back her hair, and pointed at Lu Dongsheng.
“Hey! You little nobody how dare you meddle in our family’s business? Where’d you crawl from? I’ll knock you flat!”
She bent low and charged, head first, straight at Lu Dongsheng and Su Ying. Calmly, Lu Dongsheng slipped an arm around Su Ying’s back and gently guided her aside.
Tian Cuifen missed completely, nearly crashing head‑first into the pagoda tree cutting quite the ridiculous figure.
Su Ying felt dazed. This wasn’t right this scene hadn’t been in the book she’d read.
Oh, that’s it… she remembered now. One reader with a gift for writing had grown so frustrated with the plot that she’d written her own continuation in the comments section. Honestly, that reader’s writing was far better than the author’s own.
Lu Dongsheng frowned and glanced at Su Ying. How terribly thin she was he’d felt how light and fragile she was when he’d drawn her aside.
Right Old Zhang had said it: a father who drank and did nothing, a cruel stepmother. Clearly those two selfish wretches worked her half to death and never fed her properly.
Tian Cuifen steadied herself. Sizing Lu Dongsheng up as someone not to be messed with, she planted her hands on her hips, ready to unleash another torrent of abuse.
“Tian Cuifen’s got some nerve!” someone muttered. “If Jiang Xiaofei’s such a catch, why not marry her own daughter to him?”
“Exactly. And I’d say Su Fugui’s no prize either raised another man’s daughter all these years and never once cared for her.”
The neighbors’ words pricked at Su Ying’s heart though it was the original girl’s heart, really.
She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling a quiet rebuke. Poor girl… even now you still feel for them? Don’t worry. Since I’ve woken up in your place, I’ll make sure you finally know happiness. And everyone who ever hurt you will answer for it.
The village secretary saw matters slipping far beyond his control. He shot a glare at Song Min standing nearby, trembling with rage. What a spectacle for the whole village to witness.
“Enough all of you, quiet!” he barked. “Yingzi, tell me truly do you refuse to marry my son? Think carefully: if you wed him, I’ll see you want for nothing.”
Want for nothing? Su Ying scoffed inwardly. He meant he’d use her as free labor even a work donkey got better treatment. And this man? All brawn, no brains, hot‑tempered, lazy, useless who’d want him?
Her eyes darted cleverly. She sniffled, then let tears flow freely.
“Uncle… your son’s heart belongs to someone else. We’d never be happy together. And besides I’m worried Educated Youth Song might be with child. She’s had a hard life too… and since things have already gone so far between them, I can only step aside. Uncle, Auntie you’re both good people. I just wasn’t meant to be your daughter‑in‑law. I spoke in anger earlier, and I’m sorry. Please… let the engagement end.”
Tears and snot flowed softness where force had failed. Everyone knew how she’d always been mistreated; keeping up the sweet, obedient girl image was her best shield.
Her weeping broke the villagers’ hearts. Better to follow a beggar mother than a powerful father… such a sad, hard life for this one.
“Secretary, we all know Yingzi’s a good girl,” someone called out. “Things being what they are, don’t make this harder on her. Let the match end.”
“That’s right speak plainly and be done with it.”
Even if he was slow‑witted, the secretary couldn’t press on in front of the whole village especially when his hopeless son puffed out his chest and declared, “Father, I can’t live without Song Min! She’s stolen my very soul!”
The women nearby reddened and whispered, “Listen to him shameless! How can he say such things? In the old days, carrying on like that would’ve meant being drowned in a cage.”
“Exactly.”
The secretary was too ashamed to remain. He himself had always led the crackdown on such conduct now it was his own son caught in the mire.
“Very well,” he said curtly. “The marriage is off. Everyone, go home.”
Su Ying breathed a long, silent sigh of relief. Thank goodness first step to a new life: freedom from this marriage.
From the corner of his eye, Lu Dongsheng caught her quick, secret smile revealing little pointed canine teeth. So sweet… he found himself wanting to ruffle her hair.
He was a plain, straightforward man who’d never given much thought to romance though he’d once received letters from a woman comrade, only for her to choose someone else.
As the villagers drifted away, Jiang Xiaofei rushed eagerly toward Song Min. A flicker of revulsion crossed her eyes before she masked it.
Su Ying watched and shook her head. A fool and a schemer perfect for each other. May they never plague anyone else.
Furious at his son, the secretary shouted to the two team leaders, “Gag that rascal and drag him home!”
Jiang Xiaofei struggled as they marched him away.
Tian Cuifen’s face fell. She’d counted on that three hundred yuan dowry enough to buy a sewing machine for her own daughter Xiuxiu’s wedding to Educated Youth Feng. Now it was slipping through her fingers.
She caught the secretary’s sleeve. “Secretary, it can’t end! There’s been some mistake…”
He wrenched his arm free. “Return the full three hundred yuan within three days,” he snarled. “If not, your whole family will regret the day you crossed me.”
He stormed off. Tian Cuifen wailed, beating her thighs. “How could this happen? You cursed girl this is all your fault!”
She lunged at Su Ying, reaching for her ears only to find Lu Dongsheng standing tall and broad before her. He radiated such quiet, unyielding strength that her bluster instantly crumbled.