Chapter 3: Demanding an Explanation

Today, even if he had to step down as brigade leader, he was determined to demand an explanation.

Except for his eldest sister-in-law, Cao Shuya, who stayed home to look after little Miaomiao, the rest of the family marched behind Huo Xiaolin with grim faces, heading straight for the Ye household.

It was a leisurely hour of the day, and villagers were gathered in small groups at their doorsteps chatting.

A crowd moving together like that naturally drew attention.

“Didn’t the Huo family just have a wedding? Why do they all look so grim?”

“No idea. Looks like something serious though. See how hurried they are?”

“From the looks of it, they’re headed for a fight.”

Someone sharp-eyed suddenly spotted something. “Hey, isn’t that Ye Tao walking next to the Huo family’s second son?”

“Ye Tao? Are you sure?”

The man squinted for a closer look, then slapped his thigh. “It really is Ye Tao.”

And their direction was unmistakably toward the Ye household.

“Come on, let’s follow them and see what’s going on.” Another piece of drama was about to unfold.

Meanwhile, at the Ye home, Ding Yuxiang paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan. “Tell me, where did Xuanxuan go? I quietly asked all her close classmates, but they all said they haven’t seen her.”

Ye Hongjun sat there smoking his old dry tobacco pipe, drooping eyelids, saying nothing.

Furious, Ding Yuxiang shoved him. “Say something! What’s the use of puffing on that pipe? Our daughter’s missing and you’re not even anxious!”

After a long while, Ye Hongjun finally lifted his eyelids, tapped out the ashes of his spent pipe against his shoe, and carefully tucked the stem away.

“If she could be found, she’d already be back. That girl’s dead set on not returning. We arranged a wonderful betrothal for her, but she wasn’t content and ran off on her own. Who knows if she’s even alive.”

The word “dead” stabbed into Ding Yuxiang’s nerves. She slapped at him in anger. “It’s all your fault! You insisted on that wretched childhood betrothal. You forced her into a corner and now she’s run off. Are you satisfied?”

Ye Hongjun impatiently shoved her away. Foolish woman’s sentimentality. With conditions like the Huo family’s, how many households in the entire county could compare? Who else ate refined flour every single day?

Huo Xiaolin was the eldest of two brothers.

Their parents died early, and it was Huo Xiaolin who supported his younger brother, Huo Xiaofeng, all the way through high school. Now, Huo Xiaofeng was deputy director of the county’s Grain Bureau and had married the daughter of a retired steel factory director. He had thoroughly left behind the backbreaking life of the countryside.

Huo Xiaolin himself wasn’t doing badly either. At just over thirty, he became brigade leader of Tongxiang and had held that position for more than twenty years. Given his health, another twenty wouldn’t be a problem.

His eldest son, Huo Tingwen, graduated from university and now worked at the county Education Bureau. He had married the daughter of the county high school’s principal. Their family background wasn’t bad at all, and his father-in-law had taught countless students, with connections spanning every field.

As for his second son, Huo Tingwu—he had enlisted at the border when he was just seventeen and stayed for eight years. Last year, he was transferred to a coastal island and now held the rank of deputy regimental commander. At only twenty-five, such a rank meant that as long as he stayed the course, his future was boundless.

Whenever their family needed help, he certainly wouldn’t sit idly by. When the time came for his younger brothers to find jobs, there would be no shortage of doors to knock on.

To be honest, if it weren’t for this arranged betrothal, given their own family’s circumstances, they would never have secured such a prosperous in-law family. Yet Xuanxuan was ungrateful—she abandoned her blessings and ran off. How could a little girl possibly make it on her own in this harsh world?

This morning, when he saw the letter his daughter had left behind, it felt like the sky had collapsed. Both families were satisfied with this marriage, and they had hoped to finalize it while Huo Tingwu was back visiting.

Though time was short, all the proper arrangements were made. The Huo family had already bought the “three rounds and one sound” (bicycle, watch, sewing machine, and radio), plus a bride price of one hundred yuan—the highest in the entire region. For this, Ye Hongjun had felt especially proud, standing taller among his peers.

Ye Xuan truly was their family’s lucky star. With her, the days of eating meat and drinking wine every day were just around the corner.

But before the dream even began, it was shattered. Ye Xuan didn’t just run away—she also took the bride price money along with the fifty yuan dowry they had prepared.

He and his wife panicked, searching the entire village before dawn, combing every alley and street, but didn’t find a trace of her.

Maybe their family simply didn’t have that fate. Their daughter was gone, and the marriage had collapsed. After some thought, Ye Hongjun decided he should tell the Huo family and hear what they had to say.

But just as he was about to step out the door, his wife grabbed him tightly. “At this hour, both families’ relatives are here for the feast. If you say this now, where will our daughter’s face be? She’ll be drowned in people’s spittle. Even if she wanted to come back, she’d never dare.”

She clung to his arm and refused to let him leave. Once word spread, Ye Xuan’s reputation would be ruined forever.

The two of them slumped to the ground. Ye Hongjun clutched his hair helplessly. “What do we do? The bridal party will be here any minute!”

Ding Yuxiang shook her head blankly. She didn’t know either, her eyes staring vacantly into the distance.

Then, Ye Hongjun spotted Ye Tao, who had just woken up, and a bold idea flashed through his mind. The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

He whispered his plan to Ding Yuxiang.

Ye Tao’s figure was very similar to Ye Xuan’s. As long as she wore the new bridal clothes and had the red veil over her head, no one would notice the switch. By the time the Huo family discovered the truth, it would be too late.

Once the bows to Heaven and Earth, and to the parents, were done in front of everyone, she would officially be the Huo family’s daughter-in-law—no one could deny it.

Ding Yuxiang, though uneasy, always deferred to her husband. She didn’t have much affection for this daughter, but she was still her flesh and blood. Something about it felt wrong.

“Think of our son!” Ye Hongjun pressed, seeing her hesitation.

Yes, their son. For their son’s sake, for the whole family’s future—whether Ye Tao liked it or not, she had to marry.

So, Ye Hongjun prepared a little sedative, stirred it into some malted milk, and had Ding Yuxiang bring it to their daughter.

Poor Ye Tao thought her parents were finally showing her some care. Normally, she wasn’t even given malted milk, and now her mother brought it to her personally. Delighted, she drank every drop.

Not long after, the drug took effect. Feeling dizzy, she staggered back to her room and lay down.

Ding Yuxiang went in and dressed her in the prepared bridal clothes, weeping as she did. “Daughter, don’t blame your mother. You’re going off to a good life.”

When the bridal matron arrived, she saw the bride lying down and almost panicked.

Ding Yuxiang explained that her daughter was a bit dizzy, her body weak after some medicine, and that she’d need support during the ceremony. She slipped the woman a one-yuan note as she spoke.

Seeing such generosity, the matron’s face brightened instantly. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.”

With uneasy hearts, the couple sent Ye Tao off, then still searched the area again, but Ye Xuan was nowhere to be found.

They had no more options—only to pray that she was safe somewhere.

Then came the pounding on the door.

“Ye Hongjun, Ding Yuxiang, open up!”

Liu Wenxiu’s voice roared outside. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re in there. Open the door, now!”

The couple exchanged a fearful glance. This was bad.