“Ha ha ha!”

The people in the courtyard burst into laughter at his words. Though he looked grown in stature, he was still just a child at heart.

Someone teased him with a laugh, “You brat! What’s the use of looks? A wife isn’t just someone you marry to stare at!”

The crowd erupted in laughter again. Beside them, Mu Jinhua, who had been puzzled earlier, curled her lips into a faint smile. Indeed, Mu Jinyue could never compare to her. In her past life, Du Jie had clamored to marry her the moment he laid eyes on her…

Unlike her secret delight, Grandma Mu was fuming, her finger practically jabbing into Ma Huifen’s eye. “Fine, I see now. Your family is just here to humiliate us. Shameless little—”

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Before Grandma Mu could unleash her fury, Grandpa Mu quickly cleared his throat, cutting off whatever sharp words were about to follow. Having lived with her for decades, he knew exactly how scathing her tongue could be. Such language might fly in the countryside, but in the city, it would only bring shame.

He interrupted Grandma Mu, his expression grave, and addressed Du Jun with the authority of an elder. “Since things have come to this, let’s talk properly. This matter traces back over twenty years ago, when your father, Old Du, broke his leg on the mountain near our village. I happened to be gathering firewood and carried him down.

“After Old Du came to, he insisted on thanking me by proposing a marriage alliance between our families. I knew we country folk weren’t fit to marry into the city, but your father wouldn’t take no for an answer. That’s why I agreed. But I never expected your family to act like this.”

He shook his head and continued, “Now that we’re here, the Du family needs to give us a clear answer—what exactly do you plan to do?”

Grandpa Mu’s age lent weight to his words, and the atmosphere in the courtyard shifted instantly. Though the onlookers were all neighbors of the Du family, even they could see how unreasonable the Dus were being. No one spoke, but their exchanged glances spoke volumes.

Du Jun faltered under the question. Deep down, he knew his family was in the wrong. Ever since his son had brought home a new bride, his face had burned with shame. He really wanted to give the little troublemaker a good thrashing.

He shot his son a glare, then turned back to see his wife glaring at him too. After a long pause, his shoulders slumped slightly, his voice lacking conviction but still forcing out the words: “Marriage is about freedom of choice nowadays. We should hear what the young people think. What does your girl have to say?”

The statement was legally sound—marriage freedom wasn’t just an empty slogan but actual law, enforced by the local authorities. Yet, the way he phrased it still made the Du family seem irresponsible.

Still, it shifted the focus. Now, the question fell on Mu Jinyue, and all eyes turned to her.

Grandpa Mu nodded. “Fine, then let’s hear what our second girl has to say.” Their second granddaughter had always been an obedient child. He trusted her judgment.

Grandma Mu, however, grabbed Mu Jinyue’s arm and shoved her forward, pinching her hard in the process. “What are you thinking? Speak properly.” Her last few words carried an inexplicable sharpness.

For a rural girl, marrying into the city was an absolute dream. No one would turn it down. The onlookers were certain the girl wouldn’t refuse—now, they waited to see how the Du family would handle the fallout.

Some thought the Dus were being hypocritical and were eager to see them embarrassed. Others felt this was for the best—at least the Du family was being honorable.

Now, it was the Du family’s turn to look uncomfortable. Ma Huifen even pinched Du Jun’s arm hard a few times. But after speaking, Du Jun himself felt a wave of relief. He couldn’t bring himself to go back on his word. Whatever demands the other side had, he’d do his best to meet them. After all, his family was in the wrong.

Everyone waited for Mu Jinyue’s answer. Only at this moment did all attention truly settle on this frail girl. Under their collective gaze, her heartbeat quickened. She didn’t have many choices.

The Du family wasn’t a good match. Whether it was Du Yu or the childish Du Jie, both seemed tied to her cousin in some way. There was no way she could marry into the Du household.

But if she refused the marriage, she’d have to return to the Mu family. And what then? She didn’t dare think further. At the very least, she couldn’t agree now.

Her throat moved slightly before she finally shook her head. “In that case… let’s call off the engagement.”

The moment the words left her lips, the courtyard fell into stunned silence. But before anyone could react, Grandma Mu’s palm struck her face with a sharp crack!

Mu Jinyue’s head snapped to the side. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, her cheek burning as if on fire. A ringing filled her ears, and the world spun around her. Dazed, she clutched her face, her vision blurring as she stared down at Lin Guihua’s patched clothes swaying in her line of sight.

Grandma Mu’s curses roared in her ears. “You worthless deadweight! I should’ve drowned you at birth! What good are you, grown up like this? Just you wait—when we get back, I’ll sell you off! Ungrateful wretch!”

Each word was like a knife, slicing her apart piece by piece, leaving her trembling uncontrollably. Even as Lin Guihua rushed to shield her daughter, trying to block Grandma Mu’s fury, Mu Jinyue felt no relief.

The old woman’s vitriol was too vicious. The crowd frowned, their gazes filling with pity for the thin, fragile girl.

Ma Huifen watched, her heart aching with sympathy, but she couldn’t help feeling relieved. “Since that’s the case, we’ll respect the children’s wishes. The engagement is off. But since you’ve come all this way, at least stay for a meal before heading back.”

Grandma Mu’s face darkened, and she spat viciously. “Bullshit! A child’s words don’t count for anything. The Du family has to take responsibility for this! Otherwise, I’ll make this girl hang herself right at your doorstep—let’s see how your family keeps living in this city after that!”

“You—how can you be so unreasonable? This is outright bullying!”

“Bullying? Bullying?! Don’t you dare play the victim! The Du family must take responsibility. This engagement was set over twenty years ago—everyone knows about it! Now that it’s called off, my granddaughter’s reputation is ruined! You have to compensate us! If you don’t pay up, we’ll take this to the neighborhood committee, to the authorities!”

Ma Huifen was so furious she felt dizzy. “What kind of nonsense is this? The two kids just met for the first time today! And she’s your own granddaughter—how can you say such things? What kind of marriage prospects will she have after this?”

Grandma Mu couldn’t care less. “In the countryside, a woman who can bear children will find a man no matter her age. That’s none of your concern. Now, are you paying up or not?”

Ma Huifen had never met someone so unreasonable and shameless. In a way, she was relieved they wouldn’t be in-laws. Right now, she just wanted these people gone. “How much do you want?”

“Three hundred yuan! Not a cent less, or we’re not leaving!” As Grandma Mu spoke, flecks of spit landed on Ma Huifen’s face.

Du Jun looked between Grandma Mu and his wife, then turned to Grandpa Mu. “Uncle Mu, you see how this is…”

Grandpa Mu hadn’t expected things to escalate like this. Of course, he wanted his granddaughter to marry into the city, but after the girl’s refusal, that was no longer possible. Still, he wasn’t about to let this advantageous match slip away without compensation. He couldn’t bring himself to say it outright, but Grandma Mu had no such reservations. Grandpa Mu stayed silent, turning his head away, his disgust for his granddaughter deepening. If not for her, his family wouldn’t be humiliated like this.

Meanwhile, Ma Huifen’s dizziness vanished the moment she heard “three hundred yuan.” She snapped, “Our family doesn’t have that kind of money! If you think someone else does, go ask them! We can’t afford it!”

Grandma Mu ignored her and yanked at Du Jie’s shirt. “Look at this—Dacron fabric! Just this shirt alone is worth half a year’s work points for us!”

Ma Huifen argued back, “He’s worn this shirt for five or six years! The fabric’s practically worn thin!”

Back and forth they went, haggling like merchants at a market. The men stayed silent, leaving the women to fight it out. Even the other women in the courtyard chimed in, none of them sparing a glance at Mu Jinyue, who stood to the side like a piece of tradable goods—as long as the price was right, everything was negotiable.

The rest of the onlookers stared at Mu Jinyue, some whispering, others pointing and laughing at her expense. It all made her feel suffocated.

Reality was a bucket of ice-cold water dumped over her, chilling her to the bone and shattering the last shreds of hope she’d clung to. Only now did she truly understand her predicament. She could not go back to the Mu family.

Here, she’d been slapped in the face and treated like merchandise right in front of everyone. If she returned, things would only be worse. She had to escape.

But escaping now? Impossible. The city was stricter about identification. If caught, she’d either be sent home or face interrogation. That wasn’t an option. The only way out was marriage.

The Du family wasn’t a good choice—but what about someone else? Her gaze darted around, searching for a suitable candidate—until a figure caught her eye.

At some point, a strikingly handsome man had appeared at the edge of the crowd. Tall and straight-backed, his features were sharp, his brows severe, and his eyes held a cold indifference. He looked unapproachable, as if anyone who got too close would freeze.

But she still walked toward him.

If I have to marry someone, it might as well be a handsome one, she mocked herself inwardly. Her steps quickened, as though speed could silence her hesitation.

As she got closer, she noticed his work clothes—patched sleeves, frayed cuffs, the faint scent of machine oil clinging to him.

Only when she stood right in front of him did she realize what she was doing. Her heart pounded, her throat tightened, and her hands trembled slightly. She forced herself to stay calm, scrambling for the right words to convince him—but the harder she tried to sound composed, the more nervous she became. Her voice shook when she finally spoke.

“Comrade… are you married? If not… what do you think of me? I—I cook well, I can do laundry, I can take care of a household…”

Her voice grew smaller, fading into a whisper by the end. She must have looked utterly pathetic, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. All she wanted was for this man to nod and pull her out of this nightmare.

How laughable, she thought. I never imagined I’d resort to marriage to change my fate. Her mind raced, and soon, she wasn’t even sure what she was saying anymore.

Yet the man remained silent, his dark eyes scrutinizing her as if she were an insignificant object. Mu Jinyue’s heart sank little by little. Her fingers clutched the hem of her shirt, her knuckles turning white. Just as she was about to give up and walk away—

“Fine. We’ll marry.”

His voice was cold, like a winter wind, devoid of warmth. But to Mu Jinyue, it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

Behind her, the chaos continued—the Du family’s protests, Grandma Mu’s haggling, the crowd’s murmurs—but it all seemed to fade into another world. In her ears, there was only his brief, resolute reply.

She looked up at his stern profile and suddenly thought—maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.

At the very least, it was her choice.