Chapter 2: I Will Marry

Jiang Xianli could hardly keep from laughing. Jiang Xianhui had always been at the bottom of her class during school.

She didn’t give up on taking the college entrance exam to work; it was because she couldn’t pass.

And now, she spoke as if she had made some grand sacrifice.

She slept with her sister’s boyfriend under the excuse of being drunk, yet her values were so twisted that she even dared to self-righteously lecture others about morality.

Of course, Jiang Xianli wouldn’t argue with her. She needed to keep up her act.

Lifting her eyes, she looked at Wu Jianting with reddened eyes.

“Jianting, didn’t you say you’d love only me for this lifetime? How could you do something that breaks my heart like this? And in my own home, with my own sister…”

“I…” Wu Jianting opened his mouth slightly, “Lili, I’m sorry…”

“Don’t call me Lili; it makes me sick! I just want to know, are you sure you want to be with Jiang Xianhui?”

After a brief pause, Wu Jianting slowly took Jiang Xianhui’s hand.

“Since I’ve taken her purity, I must take responsibility. I will marry her.”

Although he had some feelings for Jiang Xianli, it was mainly because she was a city girl. Marrying her would have allowed him to transfer his household registration to the city.

But he knew that her mother had already found a wealthy suitor for her, so there was no chance for him with Jiang Xianli.

Marrying Jiang Xianhui was just as good. When Jiang Xianhui led him to her room the previous night, he had gone along with it. After all, she was curvier and looked more fertile than Jiang Xianli.

When he first came to university, his mother repeatedly told him to marry a city girl and then have three sons. That way, they could put down roots in the city and secure their future.

“Hehehe… Hahaha…”

Jiang Xianli laughed uncontrollably through her tears, looking utterly devastated.

“Wu Jianting, Jiang Xianhui, from now on, we are done! I want nothing more to do with either of you!”

Zhao Xiumei also cried, “I don’t have such a shameless daughter. Jiang Xianhui, take your country bumpkin lover and get out of my house!”

Jiang Xianhui knelt down and kowtowed to her. “Mom, thank you and Dad for raising me all these years. I believe one day Jianting will make something of himself, and then I will return to repay you.”

With that, she turned and began packing her things.

Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly turned to Jiang Xianli and said, “Second Sister, don’t blame me for taking your man. Even if it weren’t me, you were destined to marry into the Xie family. Ah… people… just have to accept their fate!”

In her past life, she had endured so much suffering on Jiang Xianli’s behalf. This time, she would take it all back!

“Get out! Get out, now!”

Jiang Xianli grabbed one of her mother’s shoes and threw it at Jiang Xianhui in a fit of rage.

Jiang Xianhui, completely lost in her fantasies of a bright future, couldn’t be bothered to argue with Jiang Xianli. She pulled Wu Jianting along and left.

As they walked away, she called out, “Let’s go register our marriage right now!”

“You ungrateful, shameless wretch! You’d better die out there and never come back!”

Zhao Xiumei beat her chest in frustration, taking a while to calm down.

Then she turned to Jiang Xianli to comfort her, “I told you, marrying a man from the countryside is unreliable. You seek love, but love is fleeting. If he stops loving you, you’ll be left with nothing. But if you marry a wealthy man, even if he goes bankrupt, the money and assets you get beforehand are still real and tangible…”

Jiang Xianli sniffled, “Yes, Mom, you’re right.”

Zhao Xiumei was momentarily stunned, her eyes lighting up. “So… about marrying into the Xie family?”

“I’ll marry.”

“Good, good!” Zhao Xiumei’s face instantly lit up with joy. “At least I have one obedient daughter left. After all this morning’s commotion, you must be hungry. I’ll go make you some food.”

Watching her mother’s hurried figure, Jiang Xianli smiled coldly. Money truly could make the world go round.

In her family, there were five siblings in total.

The eldest was her sister, Jiang Xianhong. The second was her brother, Jiang Xianming. She was the third, followed by Jiang Xianhui, and finally, her younger brother, Jiang Xianyang.

Her parents had always favored the boys over the girls, doting on their two sons.

Among the three daughters, her elder sister was obedient and well-behaved, and her younger sister was sweet and attentive. But Jiang Xianli was the most disliked because of her straightforward and stubborn personality.

Normally, her mother wouldn’t even consider making her a meal. If she didn’t cook for herself, she wouldn’t even get a simple steamed bun.

But at least she had her own room.

At this time, apartment buildings weren’t common yet, and most city homes were either assigned apartments or self-built houses.

The Jiang family, being city-born and bred, lived in a self-built house with four main rooms and two side rooms.

One of the main rooms was used as a living room, while the other three were for Zhao Xiumei, her husband, and their two sons.

The three daughters lived in the side rooms.

Jiang Xianhui had her own room, while Jiang Xianhong and Jiang Xianli shared one.

Since Jiang Xianhong got married, Jiang Xianli had been living alone.

Whenever she couldn’t hold back her emotions, she would lock the door, bury herself under the covers, and cry her heart out.

…

Although Jiang Xianli agreed to the marriage, the Jiang and Xie families were worried about delaying it, so they hastily scheduled the wedding for a week later.

On the wedding day, the Xie family sent a makeup artist early to prepare Jiang Xianli.

She was naturally beautiful, with fair skin and bright, clear eyes.

Her eyebrows were delicately arched, her nose was high and straight, and with just a touch of makeup, she looked as fresh as a lotus emerging from water.

From the three wedding outfits sent by the Xie family, she chose a red qipao with gold trim, a modernized version of traditional Chinese attire.

At 1.67 meters tall and weighing 47 kilograms, she was slender and graceful.

Once she was dressed in the wedding attire, she exuded an elegant, dignified beauty, captivating and breathtaking.

Jiang Xianhui, who was secretly watching from behind a tree by the door, was consumed with jealousy.

But she quickly consoled herself, thinking that even though Jiang Xianli looked stunning, she was merely heading toward a lifetime of suffering.