After taking the hefty bride price, Mother Wen never returned it.
Given how greedy and tight-fisted the Wen family was, there was no way that money would ever be refunded.
But the Wen family had only one daughter.
Now that the identities had been swapped, the marriage arrangement naturally fell onto Shen Yueru.
Wen Qiao remembered that in the book, after the original host was sent down to the countryside, the Wen family went looking for Shen Yueru.
They lied, claiming the bride price had already been spent, and demanded that she either marry in her place or pay back the money.
Back when Wen Qiao read the novel, she skimmed through it hastily. The moment she saw Shen Yueru’s name, she felt annoyed and skipped ahead.
So she didn’t know how Shen Yueru ultimately handled the situation.
But the matter had been suppressed and never exposed.
The relationship between the Shen and Wen families remained as harmonious as ever, without any rift caused by it.
After all, the Shen family had raised Shen Yueru for eighteen years. Their bond was deep, and her status as the family’s cherished darling was not something that could be shaken easily.
Wen Qiao could only start with the Wen family.
Although she would soon be sent down to the countryside, before leaving, she had to create some trouble for Shen Yueru.
She would begin by driving a wedge between the Shen and Wen families.
The original host had been a silent sufferer, never voicing her grievances, accustomed to swallowing everything and enduring it quietly.
She had gone to the countryside with nothing in her hands.
Meanwhile, the female lead took that large sum of money and ration coupons, living well and eating well.
As for the original host? She had starved to death in a remote mountain corner of the Great Northwest.
Why?
Now that Wen Qiao had taken her place, the direction of this story would no longer be up to Shen Yueru.
Even if her former roommate herself came here, it would be useless.
Wen Qiao could leave—but Shen Yueru wouldn’t get off unscathed.
By exposing what the Wen parents had done in advance, Wen Qiao ensured they would gain no benefit. Naturally, they would pin the blame on Shen Yueru instead.
In the eyes of the Wen parents, daughters were nothing more than tools—used to pave the way for their sons.
That was true for the original host, and it was no different for the female lead.
Given the Wen family’s shameless nature, they would certainly come knocking at Shen Yueru’s door eventually, clinging to her like a parasite.
Just imagining that scene made the smile in Wen Qiao’s eyes almost impossible to hide.
Over time, the Shen and Wen families would inevitably fall out.
And when that day came, would Shen Yueru still be able to maintain her position as the Shen family’s treasured darling?
Wen Qiao had no intention of competing with Shen Yueru for the Shen family’s affection. She only wanted more benefits before leaving the capital.
The more guilty the Shen family felt toward her, the greater the compensation she would receive.
After Wen Qiao finished speaking, Shen’s mother’s hands trembled with anger.
Her heart ached even more for this child.
What kind of life had this poor girl lived in the Wen household?
When the Shen family went to the countryside to bring Wen Qiao back, they had already met the other Wen children.
Mother Wen had seven children in total—three older brothers above Wen Qiao and three younger brothers below her.
The family’s living conditions didn’t look bad at all. Their neat, spacious brick houses stood out prominently in the village.
The boys were all sturdy and well-fed, wearing brand-new clothes without a single patch.
Only Wen Qiao was sallow and skinny, dressed in worn-out clothes layered with patches upon patches.
The favoritism couldn’t have been more obvious.
After she finished speaking, everyone at the table put down their chopsticks.
No one had much appetite left.
Even Shen Guiyuan fell silent.
Shen’s father, too angry to continue eating, instructed his eldest son, Shen Guiyao, to investigate the origin of the marriage agreement.
He was to visit the Wen family as soon as possible and cancel the engagement.
Shen Yueru kept her head lowered, hardly daring to breathe.
Father rarely lost his temper—but when he did, it was like thunder.
She wanted nothing more than to strangle Wen Qiao.
How dare this wretched girl?
Wasn’t she clearly trying to sow discord between the Wen and Shen families?
She was the Wen family’s biological daughter. If the Wen family was disgraced, she would lose face as well. And if the two families truly fell out, how would she remain in the Shen household?
Shen Yueru shot Wen Qiao a venomous glare.
Sure enough—silent dogs bite the hardest.
All this time, she must have been pretending.
After dinner, the Shen family sat together on the living room sofa, intending to discuss Wen Qiao’s assignment to the countryside. But after what had just happened, none of them could bring themselves to speak. They all remained silent.
Even Shen Guiyuan did not urge her.
He looked down on this rustic younger sister, but after all, Wen Qiao shared the same Shen blood as he did.
And she truly had suffered in the Wen household.
As long as she didn’t bully Shen Yueru, he had no need to target her.
Seeing that no one spoke, Shen Yueru bit her lip and couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Sister, have you thought about going to the countryside? The Youth Office has been urging us. If you don’t register soon, it’ll be hard to explain.”
“I’m not trying to rush you. I should have registered long ago, but my health hasn’t been good, so it’s been delayed. If we delay any longer, people will start having opinions about our family.”
After she finished, no one responded.
Wen Qiao glanced around. Everyone was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to nod.
Though Shen’s mother’s expression was filled with guilt, there was still hope in her eyes.
Wen Qiao sneered inwardly.
So this was the original host’s family—seemingly affectionate, yet when real interests were involved, everything became fleeting clouds.
She shouldn’t have had any expectations.
If the Shen family had truly cared about the original host, they wouldn’t have allowed Shen Yueru to tamper with her countryside assignment or withhold her supplies.
They wouldn’t have let her go empty-handed, alone, to that distant, remote, and barren Great Northwest.
“I can go to the countryside,” Wen Qiao said calmly. “But I have two conditions.”
The Shen family immediately turned to look at her.
Shen’s mother revealed a delighted smile.
“Go on.”
As long as she agreed to go, the family would grant any request.
“First, I choose the location myself.”
“Second, I want sufficient money and ration coupons.”
Shen Guiyuan curled his lip. Going to the countryside was something she should do anyway—yet she was making so many demands.
What did she mean by “sufficient”?
Was she planning to ask for an outrageous sum?
“Agreed.”
Shen’s father made the decision immediately.
Wen Qiao’s two conditions weren’t excessive.
The Shen family was well-off and didn’t lack such things. Even if she hadn’t asked, he wouldn’t have wronged his biological daughter.
But when he saw the list she handed over, he was still stunned.
He hadn’t expected Wen Qiao’s idea of “sufficient” to be such a massive sum.
Setting aside the cash, just the mountain of various coupons alone was enough to give anyone a headache.
If they fulfilled her demands exactly, half of the Shen family’s private savings would be emptied.
Shen’s father frowned but said nothing.
Shen’s mother was completely taken aback, still struggling to process it.
Shen Guiyuan sneered mockingly.
“Wen Qiao, you sure have a big appetite. Are you trying to bleed the Shen family dry?”
This country bumpkin really dared to ask for the moon.