Arriving at the commune was only the first step. From there, they still had to take a bus into the city. However, the number of buses running each day was limited—only five or six trips at most, with long intervals in between. If they missed one at the station, they’d have no choice but to wait.

The brigade leader and his son were perceptive men. After escorting the Mu family to the station and offering a few words of comfort, they left, leaving the Mus to wait for the bus alone.

The mood among the family was visibly sour. Grandpa Mu and Grandma Mu’s faces were dark with suppressed fury, as if a storm was brewing in their minds, ready to unleash itself once they reached their destination. The eldest uncle’s family, on the other hand, looked shaken, with Aunt Zhou Feng gripping Mu Jinhua’s hand tightly. As for Mu You and his wife, their brows were furrowed with worry, lost in thought.

Mu Jinyue’s gaze swept over each of their faces, taking in their varied expressions. As the central figure in this incident, she supposed she ought to feel angrier—or at least humiliated. But strangely, she felt nothing. She even had the leisure to glance at the scenery around her. Having been cooped up for so long, even the sight of yellowing leaves by the roadside was a pleasant distraction.

Luckily, the Mu family didn’t have to wait too long before a bus arrived from the commune. They quickly squeezed on board. Riding the bus cost money, which only deepened Grandma Mu’s resentment. This is all that useless girl from the second branch’s fault! she fumed inwardly. Unable to contain her anger, she pinched Mu Jinyue’s arm viciously several times during the ride.

Though Mu Jinyue’s jacket wasn’t thin, Grandma Mu’s grip was brutal. The first pinch nearly made her cry out, but there were other passengers on the bus. Her reserved nature wouldn’t allow her to make a scene in public, so she clenched her teeth and endured it. It’s just six or seven pinches. I can bear it…

The journey to the city was long. By the time they arrived, it was already past eleven. Thankfully, the Mu family had set out early upon realizing something was amiss. Among them, Grandpa Mu and Mu Yong had been to the city before and knew the way, so they led the family toward the Du residence, eventually stopping in front of a traditional courtyard house.

This was Mu Jinyue’s first time seeing a real siheyuan (courtyard house), and she couldn’t help but stare curiously. The entrance they stood before was on the far right side of the compound, its doors wide open, revealing a wall directly ahead adorned with intricate patterns.

No one was at the gate, so Grandpa Mu led the family inside. Past the entrance, they saw the main door to their right, also open, but this time, someone stopped them.

Standing in the middle of the group, Mu Jinyue took the opportunity to peek into the courtyard. It was already bustling with people, several tables set up, the atmosphere lively.

She withdrew her gaze and focused on Grandpa Mu’s exchange.

Having been here before, Grandpa Mu was no stranger to being stopped at the gate. Without waiting for questions, he spoke first: “We’re from the Mu family. Our granddaughter is marrying your Du family’s eldest son, Du Yu, today. We’re here to deliver the bride.”

The gatekeeper’s eyes swept over the Mu family, lingering briefly on Mu Jinhua before asking, “Where’s Xiao Yu? He left early this morning with the wedding party to fetch the bride.”

Grandpa Mu frowned. If he had left so early, why hadn’t he arrived yet? His voice carried irritation as he replied, “That’s something I’ll have to discuss with the Du family.”

“Ah—right, right.” Sensing trouble, the man didn’t dare delay and quickly ushered them inside.

A family of eight strangers entering the courtyard immediately drew attention. The chatter died down as everyone turned to look at them.

The sudden silence alerted Du Yu’s parents, who had been busy with preparations. Spotting Grandpa Mu, his mother greeted them warmly, “In-laws! How many of you came? The timing is just—”

Her last word (perfect) died in her throat as she scanned the Mu family. “Where… where is our Du Yu?”

Grandma Mu, her anger already at a boiling point, snapped back, “Your son? Why are you asking us where he is? We waited all morning and didn’t see a single trace of him! We stared so hard at the road on the way here our eyes nearly fell out! Is this wedding still happening or not? Back then, it was your family’s elders who begged for this match. And now, your son can’t even be bothered to fetch the bride? What exactly is the Du family playing at?”

Du Yu’s father, Du Jun, quickly stepped forward to mediate. “In-laws, please calm down. Of course the wedding is still on. The boy left early this morning—he must’ve taken the wrong route. You’ve had a long journey; you must be tired. Let’s go inside, rest, and talk this through properly.”

His words eased Grandpa Mu’s expression slightly. “Fine. We’ll talk inside.”

With that, Grandpa Mu clasped his hands behind his back and followed Du Jun leisurely toward the main house. But before they could enter, a young man’s cheerful voice rang out from the courtyard gate:

“Mom! Dad! Brother’s back with the bride!”

The boy’s shout reignited the lively atmosphere in the courtyard, drawing everyone’s attention toward the gate. Mu Jinhua, standing at the very back of the Mu family, shrank slightly behind Zhou Feng before also turning to look.

The first to rush into the courtyard was a teenage boy. At the sight of him, Mu Jinhua clenched her fists, her eyes burning with hatred. Du Jie. The name echoed bitterly in her mind—the man she loathed more than anyone, her husband in her past life.

She repeated the name silently, seething. Just wait. I’ll make sure he pays for everything he did in that lifetime.

Taking a slow breath, Mu Jinhua shifted her gaze past Du Jie to the figures following him—Du Yu and his bride. The scene made her head spin, as if she were glimpsing a memory from twenty or thirty years ago. Yet she remembered the humiliation vividly—her pride trampled into the dirt, the years of suffering that followed. No matter how hard she fought, she always lost miserably to them.

But not this time. They weren’t even on the same playing field anymore. Lifting her chin slightly, she turned to glance at her cousin in the crowd. Now I’m curious… what will you do, Jinyue?

What would Mu Jinyue do?

The moment she saw Du Yu leading someone into the courtyard, she instinctively looked toward Mu Jinhua—just in time to catch the storm of emotions in her cousin’s eyes. Seeing everything unfold before her, Mu Jinyue confirmed her suspicions: Her cousin had been reborn. Which meant the Du family was definitely not a good match. She needed to steer clear.

Before she could react, Grandma Mu’s shrill voice cut through the air:

“What the hell is going on here?! The Du family had better explain themselves!”

Ma Huifen, Du Yu’s mother, stood frozen in the courtyard, her face flickering with discomfort. Her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her shirt. “This… this…” She stumbled over her words, flustered.

Seeing his mother at a loss, Du Yu stepped forward, pulling his bride with him. “Mom, this is Yun Yun—the daughter of Director Zhen from the textile factory.”

Those few words instantly brightened Ma Huifen’s expression. The young woman beside her son was refined, well-matched—far better than some country girl. Her satisfaction was palpable.

Grandma Mu, however, was not having it. She planted herself in the center of the courtyard, her face dark with fury as she jabbed a finger at Ma Huifen. “What kind of nonsense is this?! Think you city folk are so high and mighty? You agreed to this marriage, and now you’re backing out—looking down on us country bumpkins, is that it?!” Her voice rose to a screech, loud enough for the entire courtyard to hear.

Du Yu frowned at the crass display, thoroughly unimpressed. He started guiding his bride toward the house, but the woman paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd—lingering briefly on the thin, dark-skinned girl in new clothes—before silently following him inside.

Mu Jinhua stared after them, her brow furrowed in confusion. This… wasn’t how it happened last time. Back then, that woman had stayed in the courtyard the whole time…

But this minor deviation didn’t stop the brewing storm between the two families.

Ma Huifen had initially felt a pang of guilt—after all, her family was the one breaking their word. But Grandma Mu’s aggressive accusations stripped away any remorse. Humiliated in front of everyone, Ma Huifen’s temper flared, though she forced her voice to remain measured. “You can’t just say things like that. Times have changed—young people make their own choices now. Elders can’t control everything.”

Grandma Mu nearly stomped her foot in rage. “Changed times my foot! Your family’s patriarch promised this marriage back then! Now you’re going back on your word? The Du family owes my granddaughter an explanation!” She shoved Mu Jinyue forward.

Ma Huifen’s patience was wearing thin. Her eyes raked over the thin, sallow-skinned girl with open disdain. “Wait a minute… this doesn’t add up. The girl in the photo you showed me looked nothing like this. Who is this dark little thing? Are you people trying to pull a fast one on us?”

A flicker of guilt crossed Grandma Mu’s face, but she quickly rallied. “Fast one? This is my second granddaughter! The agreement was for a Mu granddaughter to marry a Du grandson—what does it matter which one?!”

Ma Huifen let out a cold laugh. “Oh? If ‘any granddaughter’ is fine, then ‘any grandson’ should be fine too.” She turned and called for her second son.

Du Jie, who had been raiding the kitchen for food after skipping breakfast, wandered over in confusion.

Ma Huifen gestured toward Mu Jinyue. “That’s the Mu family’s second granddaughter. What do you think?”

Du Jie instantly understood what was being asked. He glanced at the girl, then wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Mom, I don’t want to marry her. She’s scrawny and dark—not my type at all.”