Chapter 1: Stepsister Snatches the Scumbag (Modified)

“Come on, break it up!”

A sharp voice rang out.

Xu Weilan was startled, opening her eyes and looking around. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly this… old locust tree! Why had she gone back to the past?

Just as she was puzzled, someone jumped in, grabbed her wrist, and said, “Weilan, it’s me! Even your match is still Xu Canlan’s!”

Xu Weilan was shocked to see the girl holding her hand. It was her cousin, Xu Canlan!

Xu Canlan was so light, so delicate.

“What did you say about the match being Xu Canlan’s?”

Xu Weilan lowered her head, looking at herself in a long skirt and with smooth, youthful skin.

At this moment, Xu Weilan’s mind was filled with just one thought: “This feels like I’m back to the age of 20… when I married Li Guozhu!”

It all seemed to have come back to this point.

Xu Canlan dragged her into the crowd.

Xu Weilan raised her head and saw the old wooden shelves. Her “good sister,” Xu Canlan, was currently in Li Guozhu’s arms!

Looking pitiful, Xu Canlan said, “Dad… Guozhu and I truly love each other.”

Father Xu, enraged, shook his head and muttered, “I’ll just pretend this disgraceful mess doesn’t exist. How can someone be so shameless, with no face or dignity!”

Xu Weilan, shocked, listened to Xu Canlan’s words. She glanced around at the scene, stunned.

This was real!

She had returned to the age of 20.

In her past life, Xu Canlan had used these same underhanded tricks to steal Li Guozhu and then gleefully said, “Sister, it’s perfect one marries Li, the other marries Qin. It’s all for the best!”

Xu Weilan had had no connection with Qin Yan. By the time this situation happened, Qin Yan had already agreed to the arrangement. Why? Because Qin’s mother, out of gratitude for a life-saving favor from Xu Weilan’s biological mother, had supported and cared for Xu Weilan all along.

Qin’s mother had always treated Xu Weilan as a future daughter-in-law, and Qin Yan himself had not objected to this arrangement.

But after Xu Canlan’s interference, Qin’s mother had no choice but to let Qin Yan marry Xu Canlan. Out of guilt, she also offered compensation to Xu Weilan.

What Xu Weilan never expected was that after the marriage was finalized, Xu Canlan still wouldn’t stop. She was afraid Xu Canlan would continue trying to snatch what was hers.

Thus, Xu Canlan celebrated her success, dragged Li Guozhu further into her life, and made Xu Weilan’s world completely collapse.

Xu Weilan could only marry Qin Yan to avoid becoming a joke.

At the time, both daughters’ reputations were utterly ruined, and Father Xu hurriedly arranged the weddings to save face.

Xu Canlan married into the Qin family and became a military wife, while Xu Weilan, despite the betrayal, turned her bad hand into a good one.

After marrying Li Guozhu, Xu Weilan didn’t settle for life in the old locust tree’s shadow. Instead, she worked hard with Li Guozhu in business. Through her efforts, she helped Li Guozhu rise step by step, becoming a wealthy businessman and making herself an enviable rich wife.

She drove cars, built houses, and enjoyed the fruits of her labor.

But the cost was high youth lost, health drained, and no children of her own. Li Guozhu used this as an excuse to have an affair and fathered children with another woman, eventually abandoning Xu Weilan entirely.

Meanwhile, Xu Canlan, who had married into the Qin family, couldn’t truly hold onto Qin Yan. Qin Yan initially took care of her out of guilt but grew disappointed over time.

Xu Canlan, blind to her own faults, caused scenes in the military district, accusing Qin Yan of having ambiguous relationships with female soldiers. Eventually, Qin Yan died in the line of duty.

Xu Canlan, now a widow, was thrown out of the Qin family. She lied about carrying Qin Yan’s posthumous child but was later exposed as a fraud. Qin’s family severed ties with her, leaving her with nothing.

Now, Xu Weilan was certain: Xu Canlan was doomed!

This time, Xu Weilan resolved to take advantage of her rebirth. She wouldn’t let Xu Canlan ruin her life again. Instead, she would climb her way up and become the true rich wife.

When Xu Canlan acted pitifully, claiming that she and Li Guozhu were deeply in love, Xu Weilan coldly smiled.

“You’re lying!”

Xu Canlan, looking tearful, approached Xu Weilan. “Sister, sister… it wasn’t intentional! I couldn’t help myself. Brother Guozhu and I truly love each other. Please, let us be together!”

Xu Weilan stepped forward, her demeanor calm and composed. She smiled elegantly and said, “Li Guozhu, tell me the truth.”

Li Guozhu hesitated but eventually followed Xu Weilan, leaving Xu Canlan behind.

Because her mother said Xu Weilan had good qualities and excellent academic performance, marrying her would bring only benefits, no drawbacks!

Li Guozhu liked Xu Weilan’s aloofness at first. She was unlike other girls he had dated he hadn’t even held her hand. But over time, her attitude made him feel like a dog wagging its tail, constantly trying to gain her favor.

He had enough.
He was truly done.

Compared to the lively and sweet Xu Canlan, Xu Weilan was far inferior! He much preferred Xu Canlan, who was considerate, attentive, and looked at him with admiration like he was a god.

Li Guozhu moved his lips and, with a hoarse voice, said, “I don’t like you! Let’s break up! I’ve wanted to say this for a long time but didn’t dare because it might affect your exams.

Now that the exams are over, it’s time to say it. Xu Weilan, stop acting like you’re above everyone else. You think you’re someone special? Let’s end it. I like Xu Canlan!”

As soon as Li Guozhu finished speaking, Xu Weilan raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

“You shameless scum! How dare you?!”

“What’s with the act? You think I was clinging to you? Don’t flatter yourself. Trash like you? Only Xu Canlan would stoop so low to fight for you!”

After finishing her words, she slapped him on the other cheek.

“The first slap was for you; this one is for Xu Canlan! Since you two are so in love, I’ll hit you both! Take it as payment for her!”

This last slap carried all her strength. Her hand went numb from the impact, and she gave it a shake to relieve the tingling.

But it wasn’t enough to release her pent-up frustration.

Especially when she thought of her past life how she had worked tirelessly, only to be thrown out of her home in the end. The memory consumed her.

Just when everyone thought she was done, Xu Weilan grabbed something nearby and hurled it at him. “Li Guozhu, you bastard! You’re nothing more than a worthless dog in human form!”

She then turned her fire on Xu Canlan. “And you, Xu Canlan! Do you have any shame? Snatching men wherever you go do you have any other skills besides stealing? Even if you grab something, it’s just trash!”

“Xu Canlan, you’re nothing but a despicable tramp! You two are perfect for each other a scumbag and a shameless woman. May you be tied together forever!”

Xu Weilan roared as she cried, her appearance utterly falling apart.

Seeing Xu Weilan’s outburst, Li Guozhu felt an inexplicable pang of regret. For the first time, he realized that maybe Xu Weilan was different from what he had thought. Xu Canlan, who had always acted so pitiful, suddenly seemed less appealing.

However, Xu Canlan, nestled in Li Guozhu’s arms, smiled smugly. “Dear sister, no matter who you marry, I’ll always get what I want in the end.”

This time, she thought, she would never lose to Xu Weilan.

“So what if you marry Qin Yan? Go ahead and become a widow! I’ll win in the end!”

Xu Canlan was determined that she, not Xu Weilan, would live the life of a wealthy wife.

She vowed to hold Li Guozhu tightly, never letting him go.

This time, Xu Weilan had enough. She fought back with everything she had, grabbing whatever was within reach and throwing it at them. Her hands were relentless.

Li Guozhu’s back was soon covered in bloody welts, bright red drops of blood seeping out.

Li Guozhu’s mother, who had been nearby, began wailing. “Oh, Xu Weilan, you wild beast! How dare you take out your anger on my son? Look what you’ve done to him!

No wonder my son doesn’t like you. You’re nothing but a shrew with no manners!”

Hearing this, Xu Weilan turned to her and sneered. “No manners? And your son has manners, right? What kind of upbringing leads to a man snatching his brother’s fiancée?”

At that moment, the village chief and the women’s committee arrived.

“Quiet, quiet! Everyone unrelated, leave! No more fights or brawls. All of  you, calm down!”

The village chief and the women’s committee members dispersed the crowd.

Then they had both families sit down to discuss the marriage arrangements.