I won't get married

  Listening to Wen Shixuan scolding, Zhang Qiuyan didn't get angry at all, and instead said to Xu Yuye: "Sister-in-law, if you think it's okay, advise Mianmian. Next time dress up nicely when going to Huasheng for dinner. I'll leave first."

  Mentioning Hua Sheng, Xu Yujiao walked back and pushed her husband's shoulder: "You advise Manman."

  "How can I persuade you?!" Wen Shixuan wanted to get angry, but when he looked at his wife's fierce eyes, he lost his voice and simply hid in the kitchen like an ostrich.

  "Dad, why are you like this? Don't you ever think about sister?" Yanyan raised an eyebrow and said to her father's back.

  Manman sat in the room, and she could hear everything outside clearly. As a stepmother of a girl who was as old as her own sister, she felt ashamed even to think about it.

  The second aunt is so vicious and ruthless, she actually made such a move.

  Anyway, regardless of whether Mianmian accepts or not, Zhang Qiuyan has saved enough face as an aunt: you blame me and my husband for not contributing to your daughter's marriage, now I've introduced a rich and good match, it's up to Mianmian and you yourselves to reject.

  A girl's marriage is good or bad, it's not about the man's appearance, but his ability. As for character, there are two different kinds before and after marriage, no one can guarantee which one will show up.

  Secularism is a double-edged sword, it can be like a rope that strangles people to death.

  Manman lay flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her forehead very hot, her cheeks very burning, and her heart very cold. She finally realized that no matter how hard she struggled, in this family she and her father ultimately had no status because of one reality - no money!

  Is it really possible to extricate oneself just by marrying a rich man, as mother said? Mianmian saw it very clearly and didn't think so at all. The money belongs to that man, and the other party can even use money to humiliate you. Since her natal family has no money or power, they can only treat you as spilled water and cannot protect you.

  Daughter's family is indeed cheap, especially poor and incompetent daughter's family.

  "Manman, dinner's ready." Xu Yujiao called out to her eldest daughter at the door with a softer tone than usual.

  She got up, straightened her clothes, took a comb to tidy up her hair, and then walked out after tidying herself up.

  The door opened and her whole family was sitting at the dinner table waiting for her.

  Xu Yujiao's eyes held too many expectations.

  Yuan Yuan laughed happily, with a rich brother-in-law, her future tuition fees would be taken care of.

  Wen Shixuan looked worried and unhappy.

  Manman sat down at the table, picked up her bowl and chopsticks: "Let's eat. We'll talk after dinner."

  Xu Yu'e endured it, now Manman is a hen that lays golden eggs, can't be disciplined like before.

  The family of four ate in silence, with undercurrents surging.

  Just after dinner, Xu Yu'e couldn't help but urge her younger daughter to clean up the table and caught hold of her older daughter, asking: "Mianmian, give Mom an answer, Mom still has to rush to respond to them."

  "Mom, Huasheng won't fly away. Besides, if Huasheng is gone, there are other better wine houses." Manman rarely doesn't have to clear the table today and makes tea for her father after dinner.

  For a moment, Xu Yu'e was stunned and couldn't make out what Manman was saying.

  "Sister, there's no store like this after we pass this village. How long do you want to drag it out?" Yanyan clattered bowls and chopsticks, anxious for herself and her mom.

  At the reminder of her younger daughter, Xu Yu'e grabbed Manman: "What? Are you dissatisfied?"

  "Mom, I won't marry." Manman's feet were rooted to the ground, her three words firm.

  "Why?" Xu Yujiao almost admired herself for being able to ask calmly at this moment.

  "I won't compromise myself for marriage."

  "Alright. Do as you like. You're grown up, I can't control you anymore."

  Hearing her mother surrender so easily, Yuanyuan raised her head in disbelief: "Mom..."

  "Speak less, hurry up and finish clearing the table to go study. Don't be like your sister. Mom will eventually leave before you two do, and in the future, you'll be lonely with no one to accompany you, mom can't help it. Mom has done her best!" Xu Yuer didn't yell, each word was as if bitten out from hatred, and she slammed the door on her way out.

  She was implicated, Yuanyuan didn't dare to do it anymore, and the bowls and chopsticks in her hands were pulled back onto the table. Like Xu Yuer, she rushed up to the small attic like a rocket.

  "Damn it." Seeing his family in disarray, Wen Shixuan couldn't finish his cigarette.

  "Dad." Holding a cup of tea and presenting it in front of his father, Manman squatted down and asked, "Do you blame me too?"

  Wen Shi Xuan looked at her big and bright eyes, as if seeing the way she used to ask him to buy her lollipops when she was little, shook his head: "Not your fault."

  "Dad, I think I can't stay in this house anymore. I want to go to Beijing with Chunxia and Du Yu."

  A moment of silence, after a long time, Wen Shixuan coughed twice: "You think about what you want to do and go do it. Dad has no other skills, can only not oppose you doing what you like."

  With her father's words, Wanwan felt more at ease in her heart. She told her father the truth: "If Yuanyuan wants to take the art exam, it will cost a lot of money. I want to earn more money so that when the time comes, Dad and Mom won't have to ask others for help. Others naturally won't say anything about our family, they won't say anything about Mom and Dad, and they won't say anything about me."

  "Man Man, don't think too much about it. Yanyan's matter is Dad's matter." Wen Shixuan said.

  "Dad—" Manman was moved by her father's words, and Jiang Yan's words floated before her eyes. She lightly bit her lip, "If I take a liking to a man myself, can't I make my own decision?"

  "Do you have a partner? Wen Shixuan was so excited that he almost slid off his chair, 'If there's such a thing, why didn't you say it earlier. Your mom and sister won't need to make a fuss anymore.'"

  She wanted to say it, but didn't everyone in the family express opposition last time?

  The oppressive silence made Wen Shixuan realize something, and a cold sweat broke out on his face: "It can't be that one from last time..."

  "Dad, don't tell anyone about this for now." Mianmian hastily interrupted her father.

  Wen Shixuan nodded silently. He indeed had no idea what to do, only knowing that he couldn't stop his wife from making a fuss, but also wouldn't prevent his daughter from seeking her own happiness.

  The Night of the Grand Wedding

  In the hotel

  Jiang's father insisted on meeting the girl and her parents in person before saying anything. Jiang's mother couldn't persuade Jiang's father, but was afraid of losing face, so she decided to avoid Mo's father and mother, asked for Manman's home address, and prepared to sneak over quietly.

  That evening, Manman had to work overtime, and Jiang's parents didn't know, so they went straight to the Wen family's grocery store.

  Wen Shixuan temporarily went to add goods. Xu Yuye guarded the shop, Zhang Qiuyan was urged by Jin Ruowen and hurried over to ask about Manman's answer. Xu Yuye was annoyed in her heart, she couldn't persuade Manman, and worried that this marriage would really be cancelled, so she couldn't put on a cold face to dismiss Zhang Qiuyan, and could only greet her indifferently.

  Zhang Qiuyan loudly exclaimed: "Last night, Mr. Jin called me again because he was afraid of scaring Mengmeng if he called her directly. He is very satisfied with Mengmeng himself. You probably don't know that his ex-wife eloped with someone else and wore a green hat on him, so he wants to find an extremely simple girl. Appearance, family background, etc., he doesn't care about any of these things. As for the betrothal gift, he can give enough money."

  Seeing Zhang Qiuyan raise eight fingers, Xu Yuer asked: "Eight thousand?"

  "They're the ones who are going to be the bosses, how could it possibly be just 8,000? At the very least, it's got to be 80,000. And that 80,000 doesn't even include things like a brand new set of gold and silver jewelry for the bride, a hundred tables of banquet, wedding photos, honeymoon trip and other expenses." Zhang Qiuyan was laughing so hard she couldn't close her mouth, as if all this money was going straight into her own pocket. "Sister-in-law, if Mengmeng can marry him, she'll be a rich young mistress. That's the kind of luck that takes several lifetimes to accumulate."

  Xu Yujiao also thought that if this money could be put into her own pocket, and then she could take some more from her son-in-law every month, she would also be a half-young lady.

  Two sisters-in-law sat on the mat, facing a rich betrothal gift and chatting happily, completely unaware of a middle-aged couple standing in front of the fruit stall. While pretending to pick fruits, Jiang's father and mother had taken in their entire conversation just now.