Chapter 12

Lin Qian was overjoyed inside — this was perfect.

She’d been racking her brain trying to figure out how to get rid of that man named Lu. Now that Lin Yuanyuan, the tragic fool who had been reborn, wanted to jump headfirst into that same pit again, she wasn’t about to stop her.

“No way! Absolutely not!”

Ma Guixin, of course, was completely opposed to Lin Yuanyuan choosing the Lu family — after all, Yuanyuan had far better options now.

“Yuanyuan, didn’t we agree? You’re supposed to marry into the Zhang family. The elders there already like you. All you need to do now is patiently build a good relationship with Zhang Jie.”

Lin Yuanyuan boiled with anger at the thought of how the Zhang family had tormented her in her past life. She shouted, “Auntie, if you really want what’s best for me, then listen to me — I don’t want the Zhang family anymore. I want Lu Zhanting! He’s a military officer and will definitely have a bright future.”

For a moment, Ma Guixin was stunned by her daughter’s declaration. They had only considered the Zhang family’s wealth and status before, and had overlooked the fact that Lu Zhanting’s stable military career and potential for future promotion could one day surpass the Zhang family.

Lin Qian stood quietly between the mother and daughter, not wanting to say a word — because everything was unfolding exactly the way she wanted without her needing to intervene.

But Ma Guixin quickly remembered that Lu Zhanting had a bedridden grandfather and a questionable relationship with an ex-girlfriend. She promptly reaffirmed their original plan.

“No, Yuanyuan. I still think the Zhang family is a better fit. Besides, your cousin is already engaged to Lu Zhanting.”

“Then let’s switch! Cousin, if you agree to swap fiancé with me, I’ll give up your job.”

Lin Yuanyuan didn’t care about Lin Qian’s job — her salary was already controlled by Ma Guixin anyway. Job or not, it was the same. In this life, all she needed to do was what Lin Qian had done before: become a full-time housewife in the Lu family and secure her future.

Ma Guixin knew her daughter was hard to sway once she made up her mind, so she placed her hopes on Lin Qian — expecting her to refuse such a ridiculous idea.

Who would’ve thought Lin Qian would simply say, “Fine. I agree to the switch.”

“Great. Then it’s settled.”

“Settle what?!”

Ma Guixin immediately cut them off. “No way. You can’t just casually switch engagements like this!”

“Auntie, are you favoring cousin again?”

Seeing that her daughter was genuinely upset, Ma Guixin softened her tone. “Yuanyuan, if you don’t like Zhang Jie, we can find someone else. There’s still that officer surnamed Huo — I can arrange a meeting for you two. How about that?”

No matter what, the idea of letting Lin Yuanyuan marry into the Lu family gave her the chills.

“No!” Lin Qian was the first to object when she heard Ma Guixin mention setting up Lin Yuanyuan with Huo Xiujin.

“What’s your problem?” Lin Yuanyuan glared at her, clearly unhappy.

Lin Qian snapped, “If you really want to switch, make the decision now while I’m still dissatisfied with Lu Zhanting. But if you go around dating others and come back later wanting to switch again, I might not agree by then.”

Ma Guixin tried to interject again, but Lin Yuanyuan pulled her aside and dragged her into the bedroom, slamming the door shut.

Lin Qian knew exactly what they were doing — secretly weighing pros and cons behind her back. Honestly, she should’ve just unhinged the front door of the Lin house while she was at it.

Inside the room, Ma Guixin lowered her voice to persuade her daughter:
“Yuanyuan, what are you thinking? I’m your real mother — I’d never harm you. I’m against you choosing the Lu family for a reason. Didn’t you also worry before that Lu Zhanting still had feelings for another woman?”

Lin Yuanyuan said confidently, “Mom, trust me this time. Lu Zhanting is not that kind of scumbag. Once we get married, he’ll respect me and won’t be thinking about anyone else. You have to believe me.”

“And from now on, you have to trust me in everything.”

In her past life, she’d followed her mother’s advice too blindly — and ended up dying in Lin Qian’s place.

This time, she was going to proceed step by step: first, steal Lin Qian’s good marriage; then find a way to force Lin Qian to take a DNA test to prove she wasn’t really part of the Lin family — then kick her out. Once her true identity as the Lin family’s biological daughter was restored, she wouldn’t have to take the fall for Lin Qian anymore.

“But—”

“Mom, is it really that hard to trust your own daughter?”

Seeing her daughter’s determined expression, Ma Guixin realized that pushing further would only damage their relationship.

She sighed. “Fine. I just hope Lu Zhanting really isn’t the kind of man you’re afraid of.”

Lin Yuanyuan turned and strode out, eager to seal the deal quickly, worried that Lin Qian might change her mind if she delayed.

But Ma Guixin still couldn’t help pulling her back for a final warning:
“Yuanyuan, you better think this through. You don’t even have a job right now. If you marry into that family, are you just going to serve their bedridden grandfather?”

Lin Yuanyuan paused to consider it. Right now, during the wave of educated youths returning to the cities, jobs were extremely hard to find.

Ma Guixin had already told her that Lu Zhanting’s mother would rather pay for a caretaker than return home to look after the old man. So if the new daughter-in-law didn’t have a job, she’d be expected to care for the elderly at home.

That’s exactly what Lin Qian did in her previous life.

But Lin Yuanyuan believed that with Lu Zhanting’s promising career and political future, short-term hardship wasn’t worth worrying about.

“Mom, Lin Qian is your daughter now. Once I marry Lu Zhanting, just make her give me her job.”

Ma Guixin thought this was a great plan — she’d been manipulating Lin Qian for years and was quite skilled at it.

Once the two finished scheming, Lin Yuanyuan opened the door and walked out.

“Alright. Let’s go.”