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Ye Caiping, upon finishing the recollection of the original owner’s memories, couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, cursing her for being a perfect example of self-inflicted suffering.
Meanwhile, the argument outside continued, and Du Shi’s angry voice once again echoed:
“Whether she’s kicked out of the Li family or goes somewhere else, she cannot stay in the Ye family!”
A moment of silence followed.
After a long pause, the deep, muffled voice of Ye Daquan, the eldest, finally broke the quiet:
“Wife, I know you’re upset. But at the end of the day, it’s our family that has the final say. It was us who decided to stop Xuan’er’s education, not her. If you want to blame someone, blame me.”
The old Ye family members quickly jumped in to defend, saying, “I had a part in it too. Big sister-in-law, you can hate me, but don’t blame the little sister.”
Du Shi, her face twisted in sorrow, her emaciated frame swaying as she pointed at them, suddenly burst into laughter, her voice shrill:
“After all this time, you’re still defending her! A married sister-in-law who lives in another household—whatever good food or fun we have, it always has to be prioritized for her!”
“To support her husband’s education, she even cut off the education of our own children and grandchildren! You’re Ye family, is this how you all behave? The whole family revolves around her! Why? Why should we, my children and I, be treated like we’re invisible? Like we don’t matter?”
The Ye family members fell into a heavy silence, unable to respond.
On the other side of the thin wall, Ye Caiping was also furious, so enraged she nearly wanted to grab Ye Daquan by the collar and give him a few good slaps.
Yes, why? Why should the entire family revolve around her?
The original owner was truly the so-called “favored one” in the family! Her father pampered her, fulfilling her every unreasonable request.
Her two brothers were completely infatuated with their sister, mindlessly indulging her like brainless fools, willing to crash into walls just to please her!
To the original owner, this was a life of being spoiled and coddled in the lap of luxury. But from the perspective of her sister-in-law and nephew, it was like being stuck with a family of crazy people and complete nuisances.
Ye Caiping sighed softly. She had already died in her modern life and could never go back.
From now on, she was Ye Caiping in this world.
These messes… she’d have to clean them up herself.
Enduring the dizziness in her head, she forced herself out of bed, lifted the door curtain, and found the room filled with people.
The room was filled with familiar faces: the frail Ye patriarch and matriarch, the elder brother Ye Daquan, and the second brother Ye Erquan; the sorrowful eldest sister-in-law Du Shi; the timid, shrinking second sister-in-law Wei Shi; and several nieces and nephews, all gathered together.
The Ye family members were dressed in shabby clothes, patched up with visible mending. They were all so thin, resembling walking sticks, their faces a sickly yellow.
“Caiping’s awake!” Old Lady Ye was the first to exclaim, rushing forward to support her. “What are you doing out of bed? Come on, go back and rest properly.”
“I’m fine,” Ye Caiping shook her head.
Ye Daquan breathed a sigh of relief, then shot a furious glare at Du Shi. “You, old hag, look at what you’ve done! You’ve made my little sister get out of bed! If you can’t stand her, then go back to your maiden family! You’re an outsider, and you have no right to drive her away!”
“You—”
Ye Caiping had already sat up. It wasn’t Du Shi who had made her get out of bed—it was Ye Daquan, this so-called “big clever” brother, who had provoked her! She fixed her gaze on Ye Daquan and said:
“Big brother, you owe my sister-in-law an apology. She married you and became part of the Ye family. How can you call her an outsider?”
Ye Daquan was stunned, his eyes widening in confusion. “Little sister, what’s wrong with you? She is an outsider! Didn’t you tell me that yourself?”
Not just Ye Daquan, but also Ye Erquan and the others were looking at her in shock.
Ye Caiping paused for a moment, as memories from the original owner’s life flooded her mind.
Whenever the original owner’s family asked for money or resources, and Du Shi argued with her, she would always call Du Shi an “outsider.”
Whenever things weren’t going well, she would pull her two brothers aside and solemnly remind them that she was their true sister by blood, while the two sisters-in-law were just outsiders who could never truly be trusted.
Ye Daquan had long been manipulated by the original owner’s words, which is why he smoothly referred to his wife as an “outsider.”
Ye Caiping sighed. “I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have called my sisters-in-law outsiders, and I shouldn’t have drained my family’s resources to support that scoundrel Li Zhiyuan. I shouldn’t have caused Xuan’er’s education to be interrupted. I’m sorry.”
She’s, *actually* apologizing?
Everyone in the room froze, and they all turned their eyes toward the window in unison, as if trying to confirm if the sun had risen in the west today.
And what had they just heard?
Everyone knew how Ye Caiping had always placed Li Zhiyuan above everything, constantly saying “my husband, my husband” as if he were her world. Now, she was actually willing to call him a scoundrel?
Had she lost her mind?
After a moment of shock, Du Shi’s anger surged again.
She didn’t care what kind of tricks Ye Caiping was playing now. “What good is your apology? The money has already been spent on Li Zhiyuan, and Xuan’er’s future has been ruined!”
Ye Xuan was already sixteen but had only spent three years in the town’s elementary school. At his age, the elementary school would no longer accept him.
Ye Caiping understood that with Xuan’er’s education already delayed for so long, it would be impossible for him to catch up and enter the academy. She had originally planned to wait until Li Zhiyuan passed the imperial exams and recommend Xuan’er to the academy, but that plan was no longer viable.
After considering for a while, Ye Caiping found a way to handle the situation. “The money and grain I’ve taken these years, I will return to everyone. Once I make some money, I will hire a tutor for Xuan’er to help him catch up on his studies. If I can’t do it within three months, feel free to deal with me as you wish.”
Du Shi, however, didn’t believe a word of it and retorted bitterly, “Hire a tutor? Do you know how much that costs? Two taels of silver a month! I’ve had enough of your empty promises! You always talk about how everything will be fine once your husband becomes a scholar—now you’re just offering a new version of the same empty dreams.”
Ye Caiping remained silent, her eyes not betraying any emotion as she pondered her next steps.
With the original owner’s previous habit of making empty promises to everyone, Ye Caiping didn’t expect anyone to believe her, but she would follow through.
The attitude of the Ye Daquan brothers toward Ye Caiping, however, had changed.
Although both brothers had grown weary of their sister’s empty promises, since she had already apologized, what more could they ask for?
“Enough with the arguing.” At this point, Old Man Ye, who had been silent until now, put his smoking pipe down on the table and sighed lightly as he looked at Du Shi.
“At the end of the day, it’s my fault as the head of the family. You’ve all been wronged. Caiping just said three months! Within three months, I’ll find a new husband for her and get her married off.”
Ye Caiping nearly spat out her tea. What she had meant was to earn money in three months, but somehow it had turned into finding her a new husband!
“If you can’t get married within three months?” Du Shi said, her eyes suddenly shifting as she sneered, “If you can’t marry off in three months, I’ll find a husband for you! No matter who it is, I’ll find someone, and you’ll have to marry him!”
After saying that, Du Shi felt like she was incredibly clever.
Once Ye Caiping fell into her hands, she’d make sure to marry her off far away! Let those who pampered the girl and the sister never be able to reach her! Or, she could simply marry her back to her natal family and let Ye Daquan and his family take care of her!
Old Man Ye was stunned—what was this supposed to mean?
Before he could speak, Ye Caiping had already answered: “Fine!”
That’s exactly what she meant. If she couldn’t earn money within three months, she’d let Du Shi handle it.
The original owner owed Du Shi and her family so much that if she didn’t show some sincerity, how could they give her a chance to make amends?
Although it wasn’t her fault.
But now that she had taken on this body, she had to take responsibility—whether it was a sin or a debt, only by repaying it could she truly own her life.
“But I have one condition. If within three months, I give you thirty taels, then all the past grievances will be wiped clean, and you will no longer have any say in my marriage.”
Old Man Ye and the others were stunned. What was this? It was even more absurd than getting married in three months!
Thirty taels? Did she know what she was saying?
These people from humble backgrounds, working all year round, could barely save five taels. Thirty taels in three months? It was pure fantasy.
Du Shi, fearing that Ye Caiping might back out, quickly said, “I don’t care whether you earn thirty taels or get married, we’ve agreed on this!”
She then turned to Old Man Ye and said, “Father, this is what she agreed to! If she doesn’t marry within three months, the marriage will be decided by me!”
Du Shi completely ignored the condition Ye Caiping had set.
In her mind, thirty taels in three months was impossible, and Ye Caiping would have to rely on Old Man Ye to arrange her marriage.
Ye Daquan and the others were already stunned. After a long moment, Ye Daquan finally snapped out of his shock, slamming his hand on the table and standing up, “You old hag, when did it become your business to decide my sister’s marriage—”
“Shut up!” Ye Caiping glared at him.
Ye Daquan froze, his face full of disbelief, “Little sister…”
Ye Daquan was feeling aggrieved, thinking he was helping his little sister, but she still snapped at him.
Old Man Ye furrowed his brows and took a long drag from his pipe before speaking in a heavy tone, “Fine, since they’ve already agreed, it’s settled. Within three months, I’ll have Caiping married off. If I can’t manage that, then the marriage will be arranged by the eldest daughter-in-law.”
Three months was a tight deadline, but Ye Caiping, having caused so much hardship for Du Shi and ruined Xuan’er’s future, had earned some resentment from the rest of the family. They couldn’t outright refuse.
With Old Man Ye’s words, Du Shi finally let out a sigh of relief.
Though Old Man Ye dotes on his younger sister, he was a man of his word, and once he agreed, the decision was final.
Ye Caiping was speechless. So, when she had just so adamantly corrected them, clarifying that it was not about marrying off but earning thirty taels in three months, they had all completely ignored her words?
However, aside from her looks, the original owner had nothing else going for her. In truth, marriage was her only viable option.
Ye Caiping didn’t say more. Her message had been delivered. As long as she met the goal on time, things would resolve themselves.
Note:
Characters
Places:
Qinghe Village: FL’s Village
Li Family Village
Great Zhou Dynasty
More chapters pleass 🙏