Chapter 40: You’re Wishing I Were Dead Too

Jiang Yunhe just stammered without saying anything, looking pitiful beyond words. Her demeanor was the very definition of “tragic.”

Fang Mianmian looked at her performance, twitching at the corners of her eyes. It was all too familiar. Damn it—of course it was! Jiang Yunhe had clearly learned it from her.

So what if she’s showing off her pitiful act? Who can’t do the same?!

The more fragile Jiang Yunhe appeared, the more sympathy she drew from those around her. The key reason? The Jiang family had always been far too cruel to her. Their abuse had long become common knowledge.

At this point, people didn’t even need to think—they immediately assumed Jiang Yunhe was the victim.

“Those two from the Jiang family are just too much!”

“Exactly! What age are we in now? Still selling their daughter? If this goes to the police, they’re gonna be in serious trouble.”

“I heard from Wang Tiejiang that he never even intended to marry Yunhe. Everything was decided by the Jiang family themselves. Tch, absolutely heartless…”

Sun Meilin almost lost her footing hearing this. How could it turn out like this?!

Sure, she’d never done anything good, but she’d never openly clashed with the villagers either. She could still exchange small talk with them normally. And now? They were all lining up to laugh at her.

The other two in the Jiang family could barely keep their composure, but Jiang Chenglong couldn’t take it anymore. Fuming with rage, he stormed forward, yelling.

“You all don’t know shit! Selling the daughter, my ass! It was that little bitch Jiang Yunhe who hit me! Look what she did to me!”

“Pah! Jiang Chenglong, you know what kind of person you are. Don’t pretend. Now you dare say something like this? Shameless!”

“Exactly! You’re a useless, gambling, womanizing thug. If your sister hadn’t looked after you all these years, would you even be alive now?!”

“…”

Jiang Chenglong’s eyes turned red from their words.

He never imagined that, in the villagers’ eyes, his image was this terrible.

Jiang Yunhe’s expression was calm. She hadn’t expected the crowd to take her side so quickly. Could it really be true that only by showing weakness could one gain others’ support?

In her past life, when she’d been pitiful and helpless, no one had helped her.

So… you have to know how to act.

Jiang Dazhuang felt his face burn. He was deeply embarrassed—this was a private family matter, yet now everyone was pointing fingers at him. How could he possibly save face?

At that moment, his dislike for Jiang Yunhe deepened.

If she hadn’t insisted on sneaking out, none of this would’ve happened.

And now…

“Jiang Yunhe, whatever it is, let’s talk at home. Standing around here like this—what does that look like?”

“Dad, if we go home, will you stop forcing me to marry someone?” Jiang Yunhe asked in a soft voice, her tone full of pitiful appeal. She even forced out a few tears.

Well, that shut Jiang Dazhuang up again.

Letting her not marry? That’s impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Jiang Yunhe looked at him with contempt and started kneeling again. “Dad, I’m not disobedient. I just don’t want to marry that man… If you could find someone else, that would be fine too!”

Everyone: “…”

Damn.

This girl’s request wasn’t unreasonable at all.

Forget yesterday’s incident with Wang Tiejiang—even if it hadn’t happened, who in their right mind would want to marry that guy?

Sun Meilin grew more resentful by the second. She felt like all her years of effort had raised an ungrateful wretch—completely irrational, too.

If this continued, Jiang Yunhe would drive her insane.

She’d clearly agreed before. Now suddenly she was changing her tune, and still wouldn’t let go of that small issue. Wasn’t she doing this on purpose?

“Jiang Yunhe…”

“Mother, you want me dead too, don’t you?” Jiang Yunhe stared straight at her, voice hollow and low. “Since I was little, every time you beat me, you left me bruised all over. When I was younger, I couldn’t even get a proper meal. If it weren’t for the uncles, aunts, and grandparents in this village helping me, I wouldn’t have survived to this day.”

These words—every one of them was true!

The villagers knew it too, and their sympathy deepened. A good girl, abused into this state!

Li Daniu felt a pang of guilt. Honestly, he should’ve dealt with Wang Tiejiang and Widow Liu long ago—report them, punish them.

But he had his own selfish motives. That’s why tonight happened.

Seeing Jiang Yunhe being pushed this far, he felt awful.

“Xiao He, no matter what, your life is the most important. If you have any requests, just say it. I’ll help you however I can.”

“I want to sever ties, Village Chief. I want to cut off all ties with the Jiang family. From now on, I have nothing to do with them,” Jiang Yunhe said. She’d been waiting for this exact opportunity.

Otherwise, why waste her breath calling these people “father” and “mother”?

What’s the point?

Li Daniu was stunned. Not just him—the whole village was stunned. No one had expected her to say that.

Everyone present had parents and children. But if they were in Jiang Yunhe’s shoes, could they have held out this long? Likely not—they’d have broken long ago.

Jiang Dazhuang and Sun Meilin trembled, nearly collapsing.

Resentment and disgust for Jiang Yunhe surged in their hearts. After this scene, they had completely lost face.

If this kept going, they’d go mad.

Jiang Yunhe remained calm. This decision had been made long ago. She’d played this out in her head countless times.

In her past life, she sacrificed her youth to a family that treated her like garbage. They did whatever they wanted, and she could do nothing.

If she resisted, they would guilt-trip her with morality.

Saying she was unfilial. Saying she didn’t deserve to be anyone’s daughter.

But in this life, she struck first. She would cut ties and see what they dared say now.

Jiang Chenglong scoffed. “Jiang Yunhe, you think you can cut ties just like that? Are you crazy, or just plain stupid? You’ve been eating and using the Jiang family’s stuff all these years. And now you want out? Even if we sold you to pay off my debt, it would still be your duty! That’s how things work!”

Jiang Yunhe’s face turned pale. In a soft voice, she replied, “Even if I used the Jiang family’s things, at least I cooked and worked to earn my meals. But what about you?”

Since she was little, she’d been working for these shameless bloodsuckers.

She didn’t even have to say it—everyone in the village already knew.

Jiang Chenglong was rendered speechless. So he blurted out, “I’m a man, you’re a woman! Of course you should do more work! You’re basically our maid!”

Jiang Yunhe: “Says who? This is a new era. Men and women are equal. If you can sell me, then I can sell you too!”