Chapter 9: Planning to Marry a Lame Old Man

Zheng household.

Mother Zheng came home from work to find a cold stove and empty pots. She glanced at the time, grumbling as she lit the fire and started washing rice to cook.

“That wretched Zheng Qingning, always out messing around. Just wait till she comes back I’ll skin her alive!”

Thinking that tonight she’d finally be rid of that wretched girl put her in a much better mood.

The eldest son had caught the wave of the “go to the countryside” movement and, full of passion, had gone against their advice to volunteer for rural work.

The second son was a temporary worker at the meat processing plant. Recently, he had been courting a woman whose father was a butcher at the same plant. Her family was fairly well-off, and if things worked out, the second son could land a permanent position.

Father Zheng was an eighth-grade welder earning forty-five yuan a month, five of which had to be sent to the countryside to support the elderly grandparents.

She earned twenty-eight a month and had to send five to the eldest son for his expenses.

After covering the household’s living costs, they could still save a little each month. With the hundred yuan she collected from the lame old man today, they had enough for the sons’ bride prices and the daughter’s dowry.

“Mom, I’m back.”

Zheng Jiaojiao walked in and called toward the kitchen, bringing Ye Yunzhou in with her.

“Mom, Brother Ye is here. Make extra food for lunch.”

Mother Zheng came out of the kitchen when she heard the voices. Upon seeing Ye Yunzhou, she smiled warmly, “Yunzhou, you’re here. Sit down.”

Ye Yunzhou greeted her politely before explaining his visit. “Aunt Zheng, I’m here today to talk about holding the wedding banquet for Qingning and me.”

“Our marriage application hasn’t been approved by the army yet, and I have to head back soon. So Qingning and I discussed holding the banquet the day after tomorrow. We’ll register the marriage next time I come back.”

Mother Zheng looked at Jiaojiao in surprise. Jiaojiao opened her mouth, gesturing toward the room.

“Talk to your Uncle Zheng when he gets back,” Mother Zheng said, then called out, “Jiaojiao, come with me.”

Jiaojiao stood up and looked at Ye Yunzhou with a coy tone. “Brother Ye, remember what you promised me. Or I’ll never speak to you again.”

Ye Yunzhou nodded. “Alright.”

Jiaojiao had cried for a long time when she heard about the banquet, making him feel both guilty and heartbroken. He ended up telling her his plan.

Surprisingly, that had calmed her down.

On their way over, he had said they should buy a gift since it was a formal matter to discuss the wedding. But Jiaojiao had cried and made a scene, refusing to let him buy anything.

He had hesitated at the door for a long time before she dragged him in.

He had expected to be scolded, but Aunt Zheng turned out to be surprisingly friendly.

He just hoped the banquet would go smoothly.

As Jiaojiao turned, a guilty look flashed in her eyes.

Ye Yunzhou could only belong to her. Even if he had reasons for marrying Zheng Qingning, she couldn’t bear for Qingning to taint their relationship.

Inside the room, Mother Zheng pulled her onto the bed, asking anxiously, “Weren’t we supposed to sell Zheng Qingning to that lame old man? What’s with all this today?”

“Jiaojiao, don’t say I didn’t warn you I already took the lame old man’s money. He’s coming tonight to pick her up, and you”

Jiaojiao quickly cut her off, “Mom, Ye Yunzhou wants to hold the banquet to take Zheng Qingning to his house so she can care for his family. Once he returns to the army, he’ll find me a job and bring me over.”

“We’ll start our own family on base, and Qingning will stay here to take care of you and Dad. That’s Brother Ye’s plan.”

“I didn’t agree to it, but I didn’t reject it either. After tonight, even if he wants to hold a banquet, he won’t have a bride.”

Mother Zheng frowned, thinking the plan might be risky. “What if Ye Yunzhou finds out…”

“He won’t!” Jiaojiao cut her off sharply. “By then I’ll say Zheng Qingning was defiled by the lame old man. By the time Yunzhou tries to investigate, she and the old man will have already done the deed.”

Mother Zheng thought it over. “Alright, we’ll do it that way.”

“Do you think that wretch will come back today?”

Jiaojiao answered confidently, “She will. She likes Brother Ye so much. Once she hears he agreed to hold a banquet with her, she’ll definitely come home.”

The Zheng women didn’t know that Zheng Qingning had already returned to the residential compound.

The words she’d seen made the Zheng mother and daughter’s plan crystal clear.

So she was worth a hundred yuan, huh?

Heh…

Thinking of Ye Yunzhou’s scheming and the Zheng family’s cruelty, Zheng Qingning’s eyes filled with hatred.

The neighborhood aunties loved to gather in the compound to chat, each holding a bowl of rice and gossiping over what they hadn’t finished that morning.

When they saw Zheng Qingning walk in, a few of the nosier ones exchanged looks and got up to approach her.

“Qingning! What happened to your head?”

“Qingning! Why did Yunzhou come back with your sister?”

Zheng Qingning blinked with a shy and embarrassed look, replying hesitantly, “Yunzhou said he had to return to the army and wanted to hold the banquet in two days. We’ll get the marriage certificate next time he comes home. I… I agreed.”

The women exchanged glances.

“Yunzhou really said that?”

“You silly girl, don’t you have any sense?”

“Exactly! Look at how close your sister is with Yunzhou. If you marry him, will you really have a good life?”

“Not to mention Ye’s family…”

“Alright, alright, stop talking. It’s still good news.”

Zheng Qingning’s eyes reddened, but she held her chin high, speaking stubbornly, “It’s not like that. Yunzhou said he’s only taking care of Jiaojiao for me. He pushed me because he didn’t want to see Jiaojiao upset. He cares about me, that’s why he wants to take care of my family.”

The women fell silent, exchanging looks full of helplessness.

This silly girl must really love Ye Yunzhou to have brainwashed herself like this.

They shook their heads in pity, thinking she was beyond saving.

[The scheming of this side character is too deep! She’s trying to ruin our girl’s reputation!]

[Don’t worry. Our girl has the male lead protecting her. That scheming girl won’t stand a chance.]

Zheng Qingning walked away under the aunties’ pitying gazes.

Of course she knew what they meant. This was all part of her plan.

As those words said how can one protect their own interests without being a little bad?

She opened the front door to find Zheng Jiaojiao and Ye Yunzhou being all lovey-dovey. Her eyes flickered, but she acted like she hadn’t seen it, walking in naturally.

The two, who were chatting on the sofa, heard the door and thought Father Zheng had returned. They looked toward the entrance and saw Zheng Qingning walk in calmly.

Ye Yunzhou immediately pulled away from Jiaojiao and stood up. “Why are you back so late?”

Zheng Qingning glanced at him coolly. “Went to the hospital to get my wound dressed.”

Jiaojiao, displeased that Ye Yunzhou’s attention was all on Qingning, stood up and grabbed his arm, staring provocatively at Zheng Qingning.

“Sis, I’m sorry! Brother Ye was just too worried about me, that’s why he pushed you. Please don’t be mad at him.”

Mother Zheng came out of the kitchen carrying a dish and frowned when she saw Zheng Qingning standing there stiffly.

“Zheng Qingning, are you bullying your sister again?”

“Jiaojiao suffered so much in the countryside for your sake. Can’t you give in to her a little?”

“All you ever do is play dirty tricks!”

Zheng Qingning, having already decided to stop playing nice, shot back, “I’ve barely said two words since I came in. Mom, don’t be so biased. It might give you heart problems.”

Hearing Zheng Qingning cursing her with illness, Mother Zheng trembled with rage.