They were the ones who caused this mess. It’s best that it can end decently.
Seeing this, Yun Su couldn’t help burying her face in Ji Xiangtian’s back, shaking with laughter.
She had thought Yun Yan would just marry like that, and the bride price would be pocketed by her family. She never expected this twist—the clan stepping in to support her. In the end, Second Uncle and his wife had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it.
Yun Yan was lucky in this regard. Normally, the clan didn’t get involved in ordinary marriages. But with the clan’s intervention, the bride price was protected. Moreover, it gave her face in front of the Chen family, letting them know that she had people backing her up.
All in all, given the current circumstances, Yun Yan’s future probably wouldn’t be too difficult.
Of course, in discussing the marriage, neither side brought up their previous conflict over the supply depot. Clearly, for the sake of this union, they had all agreed to pretend that incident had never happened.
—
“The elders in your clan are quite good.”
Ji Xiangtian watched the whole thing and couldn’t help but remark. Although the motivation was to protect the reputation of all the Yun family’s daughters, Yun Yan had certainly benefited. And with the elders stepping in, the groom’s family wouldn’t dare look down on her.
Human nature was complicated. Ji Xiangtian had clearly seen the Chen family’s attitude shift throughout the process.
Yun Su nodded, also feeling that this outcome was better than she had expected.
This wedding proceeded very quickly.
The day after seeing off the three people who had gone to work at the seafood processing factory, the village began to buzz with activity.
The buzz was for Yun Yan.
Yes, perhaps afraid that delays might bring complications, both sides agreed to hold the wedding early.
So starting Monday, the following day, groups of elder women from the clan began coming in and out of Yun Yan’s house.
They weren’t there to watch the excitement. They were there to pressure Liu Zhaodi, as the mother, into quickly preparing Yun Yan’s dowry.
Yes, the dowry.
Since the groom’s family was providing a bride price, it would be unreasonable for the bride’s family to contribute nothing.
The clan had no money to subsidize Yun Yan. But they could pressure Second Uncle Yun and his wife to pay up. If they refused, they shouldn’t come looking for the clan’s help in the future.
The matter was resolved that simply.
After a few busy days, it was quickly Friday night. The next day, Saturday, was Yun Yan’s wedding day. And Sunday was Yun Su and Ji Xiangtian’s engagement day.
The two happy occasions were so close together. Truth be told, Yun Su didn’t mind, since they weren’t the same family. But Yun’s mother wasn’t thrilled. She felt that Yun Yan was trying to steal her daughter’s spotlight.
Unhappy as she was, Yun’s mother—as the younger aunt—still gave Yun Yan a wedding gift. After all, Yun Yan had never done anything to wrong their family.
Now that the girl was about to marry and start a new life, she naturally wouldn’t make things difficult for her.
Yun Su didn’t plan to go. She and Yun Yan had no relationship. She hadn’t prepared a wedding gift either.
However, not long after Yun’s mother went across the way, Yun Yan herself came running over.
—
“What are you…”
Yun Su looked at Yun Yan in surprise, wondering why she had come personally.
Yun Yan smiled, didn’t stand on ceremony, sat down, and poured herself a cup of tea. After drinking it, she suddenly said, “I’ve always envied you. All of us sisters have. Yun Feng is a pretender. Since we were little, she’s liked to take advantage of you. I always thought you were stupid. She stepped all over your reputation to raise herself up, and you never did anything about it.”
Yun Su raised an eyebrow. Had this person come to speak her true feelings?
Yun Yan ignored Yun Su’s reaction and continued. “But after she pushed you into the sea that one time, you got smarter. You completely broke with her. She loves that face of hers. Hmph. She thinks with that face, she can get anything she wants. People like her are destined to get nothing in the end.”
“You probably think I’m crazy for getting together with my own sister’s matchmaking prospect. But he’s the best man I could reach. The only reason I got the chance to meet him is because of the processing factory recruitment.”
Regarding the processing factory recruitment, Yun Feng had said Yun Su leaked the information. Yun Su never admitted it, and later Aunt Lin took the credit.
But Yun Yan, who knew Yun Feng well, was sure the information had come from Yun Su.
Because of the chance to go to the processing factory recruitment, she had been able to run into Chen Pingshun nearby and naturally started seeing him.
As for sleeping with Chen Pingshun—that was actually just a story she’d made up to threaten her father. Her father, for all his talk of loving his daughters, ultimately did it so her little brother would have people to rely on in the future.
She wasn’t heartless. If her family treated her well, she would repay them.
But she wouldn’t give more than that.
Also, Chen Pingshun had already said he’d find her a temporary job after marriage. Of her parents’ four daughters, she would be the only one with a job. That counted as her becoming the most capable daughter in the family.
She had said before, in front of her parents, that she would become the most capable daughter. So she had achieved her goal. As for letting her family bask in her glory—that would depend on the situation.
If Second Uncle Yun ever found out what his daughter’s declaration had truly meant, he’d probably be so furious he’d cough up blood.
But at this moment, listening to Yun Yan lay bare her thoughts like this, Yun Su felt she needed to completely reassess this girl.
So she had been playing the fool all these years, hiding her true nature.
Someone like that was definitely not going to have a hard life in the future.
“The reason I came to you is to tell you that Yun Feng is like a cockroach—you can’t kill her. If you can, stay away from her. Now that she’s broken up with Gu Zhengrong, she probably won’t dare do anything for a while. But if she ever gets back on her feet, she will definitely stir up trouble again.”
“By the way, I’m getting married tomorrow. I heard your engagement is the day after. I won’t be coming.”
Yun Su raised an eyebrow and smiled. “I won’t come to your wedding tomorrow either. Wishing you a happy marriage!”
Yun Yan smiled back, wished her a happy engagement in return, and then left the Yun household without looking back, free and easy.
—
Yun’s mother had been nearby the whole time and had naturally heard everything Yun Yan said. Now that Yun Yan was gone, she said to Yun Su in surprise, “I think your Second Uncle and Second Aunt-in-law are going to regret not treating their daughters well.”
The second branch’s daughters all seemed quite calculating. Yun Feng had gone down the wrong path. Yun Yan hadn’t seemed like much before, but no one expected she had such a clear plan.
Yun Su nodded. She also felt that the second branch’s daughters were all formidable in their own ways. Even Yun Feng—if she had taken the right path, her life probably wouldn’t have been hard either. But instead, she had taken a crooked one, making her own road narrower and narrower. From what Yun Yan had said, Yun Feng was busy trying to win Gu Zhengrong back.
But with a man as upright as Gu Zhengrong, what method could Yun Feng use to win him back?
“Enough about the second branch. Even your little aunt is no simple woman. Speaking of which, Yun Yan’s wedding is tomorrow, and your engagement is the day after. Your little aunt will probably arrive early tomorrow morning. Whatever she says, just listen and let it go.”
Yun Su nodded, not particularly concerned. She went back inside to continue organizing the things she would need for her engagement the day after.
—
The next day arrived quickly.
Since Yun Su’s engagement was the day after, and a wedding was happening across the way today, custom dictated that she should not go over, to avoid any clash of fortunes. She didn’t want to see the annoying Yun Feng anyway, so she stayed home.
Her parents planned to go over at lunchtime, just to make an appearance. They had already given Yun Yan her gift yesterday.
But Yun Su wasn’t idle, because her family soon had a visitor.
“Little Aunt, so early?”
Yun Su’s little aunt had a baby strapped to her chest and was carrying bags and bundles in both hands, looking very capable.
“Not that early. If the boat weren’t so slow, I’d have been here at six. Third Sister-in-law, give me a hand. Take this carrier off. My husband is hopeless—he strapped it on so tightly…”
Seeing this, Yun’s mother immediately went over, helped unbuckle the carrier, and lifted the baby out.
“I really don’t understand you. Bringing such a small baby—he’s not even two months old—on a boat. Aren’t you afraid something will happen?”
Yun Su’s little aunt waved her hand dismissively. “I wouldn’t feel safe leaving him at home. Old Pan has to work. He’ll come tomorrow for Xiao Su’s engagement banquet. That daughter of Old Pan’s is no pushover. There’s no way I’d leave the baby with her.”
Old Pan was Yun Su’s little aunt’s husband, full name Pan Wen, the director of the Yangcheng No. 3 Textile Factory. He had a daughter who had just turned 20. When Yun Su’s little aunt married into the family, the child was already nine years old and sensible enough. She had always looked down on her stepmother. If her biological mother hadn’t died of illness, she probably would have called Yun Su’s little aunt a homewrecker.
In short, Yun’s mother hadn’t approved of this marriage back when it happened. Unfortunately, Yun Su’s little aunt had a mind of her own.
—
Seeing the atmosphere growing awkward, Yun Su immediately stepped in, took the things her little aunt had brought, and said with feigned delight, “Little Aunt, what good things did you bring us?”
Yun Su’s little aunt grinned. “Just some fabric. You’re getting engaged tomorrow. After the engagement, you’ll be an adult. You need to wear some new clothes.”
Yun Su smiled happily. “Thank you, Little Aunt.”
“Don’t thank me. I haven’t even scolded you yet—last time you came to Yangcheng, you didn’t even set foot in my house. If you hadn’t been with your new fiancé, I would have given you a piece of my mind. The Pan family home is my home too. You’re my niece; it’s only natural for you to visit.”
Yun Su smiled and didn’t take the bait. The truth was, she didn’t want to go and run into her little aunt’s stepdaughter.
Her little aunt didn’t linger on the subject. She immediately grabbed Yun’s mother and asked what exactly had happened with Yun Yan’s marriage.
She had only gotten a phone call a couple of days ago, and many things couldn’t be explained clearly over the phone.
Yun’s mother didn’t hold back. She told her everything, including what Yun Yan had said when she came over yesterday.
After hearing it all, Yun Su’s little aunt slapped her thigh. “I’ve always said Second Brother has rocks in his head. So what if she’s a daughter? Raise a daughter well, and later life can be better than having a son. Hmph! He deserved to be put in his place. I thought all his daughters had been brainwashed. I never expected Yun Yan to turn out like this.”
With that, Yun Su’s little aunt bent down, rummaged through her bags, and pulled out a large piece of bright red fabric.
“Come on, Second Sister-in-law, walk with me. Yun Yan is showing such spirit—I won’t be stingy as her little aunt. A woman should fight for her own happiness. When she gets to Yangcheng, I’ll have her back too.”
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