Qin Yue Yue replied, “How could it be? This is our family’s matter, and it has nothing to do with you. Besides, it’s our business to handle.”
“Our business? So, you’ve decided to go through with the marriage? Fine, then, I guess I’ll start calling you sister-in-law soon.” Su Su could see through Qin Yue Yue’s intentions. She was smart enough to recognize that her presence was a threat to Qin Yue Yue’s plans.
Su Su realised that Qin Yue Yue wanted her out of the picture because she posed a threat. If Su Su left, everyone might end up feeling sorry for Qin Yue Yue and get swayed by her tears again.
Mother Lin stepped in, “So, what’s it going to be? Do you want to call off the wedding or not? Are we going to go ahead with the marriage?”
“No, let’s wait until after I’ve started university,” Qin Yue Yue quickly backtracked. She knew that if she agreed to call off the wedding now, the Lin family wouldn’t let her get away with anything. Without their support, she’d have to do manual labour like everyone else, especially with the harsh work expected in the village come spring. Delaying was her best option—once she got into university and left this place, everything would be easier.
“Qin Yue Yue, we’ve already called off the engagement,” Lin Chuan said, frustrated by her flip-flopping. One moment she didn’t want to get married, and the next, she was trying to salvage it.
“Say what you want, but it’s clear you just don’t want to marry him, isn’t it?” Mother Lin had figured it out. No matter what happened today, Qin Yue Yue had no intention of marrying into their family. If they refused to let her stay as a “sister,” she would refuse to call off the engagement. It was clear she had ulterior motives.
Mother Lin, having lived over forty years, wasn’t easily fooled. She finally understood what Su Su had seen all along—this girl was determined to take advantage of their family.
“It’s not like that. I just think we should get to know each other better first. After all, we haven’t spent much time together,” Qin Yue Yue tried to explain.
“My son is stationed at the military base most of the time—when would he have had time to get to know you better? Besides, didn’t you two exchange letters regularly? He even sent you ten yuan a month for living expenses,” Mother Lin retorted.
Wait, he was sending her money?
This part wasn’t in the original story. The female lead had really been taking advantage of the situation while pretending to be innocent.
If she didn’t want to get married, she should have said so earlier. Instead, she took his money while treating him as a convenient “brother.” The nerve of this girl.
“We were dating, so…” Qin Yue Yue trailed off, implying that it was only natural for him to send her money.
“How long do you think this relationship should last? Most people spend a hundred or two on a wedding, but my son has already spent over a hundred yuan on you in just one year. He’s even given you betrothal gifts. And now, you want to drag it out even longer?” Mother Lin wasn’t one to be pushed around. Her heart felt cold as she realised Su Su had been right all along—this girl was just trying to milk them for everything they had.
“Auntie, I didn’t mean it that way. Getting into university isn’t easy, and I’m determined to go. I just think we should talk about the marriage after I’ve started school. Isn’t that reasonable? Right, Brother Chuan? You’ve seen the world—you know forced marriages aren’t acceptable anymore.” Normally, Qin Yue Yue would have been confident that the straightforward and honest Lin Chuan would listen to her, but now she wasn’t so sure, especially after Su Su’s interference had shaken everyone’s perceptions.
“We’ve already called off the engagement,” Lin Chuan repeated, feeling like she didn’t understand plain language.
“Forced marriage? Our Lin family forcing a marriage?” Mother Lin was furious, her head spinning with anger. Thankfully, Father Lin steadied her, helping her sit down. She pointed at Qin Yue Yue and said, “If you don’t want to get married, just say so. We’re not forcing you.”
“He slept on the same kang as another woman, so I’m all confused. One moment you say the engagement is off, the next you’re talking about marriage again,” Qin Yue Yue cried, trying to maintain her grip on the situation.
“We already agreed to call off the engagement. We won’t take back the betrothal money, but you keep hinting that my son should support you through university. If he’s going to support you for free, he might as well marry you, but you don’t want that either. And now you’re saying it’s our fault? What do you want?” Mother Lin was shaking with anger.
“I… Brother Chuan, you promised me. A man’s word is his bond—you can’t go back on it,” Qin Yue Yue pleaded, turning to Lin Chuan. She knew he was a soldier, and soldiers didn’t mistreat women.
Lin Chuan’s patience was wearing thin, and his temples throbbed with frustration. He nearly cursed but instead said sternly, “The engagement is off. We won’t take back the betrothal money, but from now on, we’re strangers.”
“I’ve been your girlfriend for so long, and now you want to just brush me off after sleeping on the same kang as another woman? Fine! You’re really going to bully me because I don’t have anyone in this village? I’ll go to the commune, I’ll go to your superiors in the military…” Qin Yue Yue was desperate, her voice rising in anger.
Su Su couldn’t stand it any longer. She stood up on the kang and said, “Comrade Qin…”
“Comrade Su, you need to know your place. This isn’t your business,” Lin Donghe interrupted harshly, trying to prevent Su Su from derailing their plan.
“Lin Donghe, this is my family’s business, and you have no say in it,” Lin Chuan cut in coldly.
Su Su ignored their tense standoff and continued, “Qin Yue Yue, why are you dragging this out? Whatever is going to happen, let it happen. You’ve already called off the engagement—are you still trying to take advantage of the Lin family?”
At this, Qin Yue Yue suddenly smirked. “Comrade Su, you seem awfully concerned about the Lin family. Could it be that you and Lin Chuan have feelings for each other? Why don’t you marry him then? But…” Even if things came to a head at the commune, she had evidence to back up her claims.
“Fine, I’ll marry him,” Su Su declared boldly, immediately drawing everyone’s attention. But she didn’t back down. She didn’t even acknowledge Lin Chuan’s burning gaze as she continued, “Isn’t this exactly what you’ve been plotting all along? You wanted to use this opportunity to push Lin Chuan away, guilt-trip his family, and keep your good reputation.”
“You’re talking nonsense…”
Qin Yue Yue barely got the words out before a strange sound filled the room.
It sounded like a recording, and soon, a conversation between a man and a woman played from the device…
Qin Yue Yue’s face went pale. She instinctively glanced at Lin Donghe. He realised with horror that it was a recording of their conversation from when they had met in town, full of suggestive and calculating words. His expression darkened. “What have you done?”
He rushed forward but was quickly blocked by Lin Chuan. The recording continued, replaying the critical parts.
“If only you were my fiancé,” Qin Yue Yue’s voice came from the recorder.
“Too bad I’m not,” Lin Donghe’s voice replied.
“My cousin is a company commander, but I’m just a nobody. I’m not good enough for you,” Lin Donghe’s voice continued.
“Besides, calling off the engagement now isn’t a wise move. Without my second uncle’s family’s help, you wouldn’t make it through spring,” Lin Donghe added.
“Sigh, if only I could get into university. Then I could leave this place and not be tied down by all this,” Qin Yue Yue’s voice lamented.
The recording continued with more of their intimate conversation, every word revealing their scheme to manipulate Lin Chuan’s family.
Lin Chuan and his father’s veins bulged in anger, and Mother Lin stood in shock. Even Lin Donghe’s parents were stunned, unable to believe their son had conspired with an outsider against his own family.
Su Su finished playing the recording and said, “I recorded this while crouching in a corner in town that day. I didn’t want to interfere in other people’s private matters, but I can’t stand by when my benefactor is being schemed against. What has Lin Chuan done wrong? Just because he was engaged to you, he deserves to be manipulated? With such a conniving mindset, you don’t deserve Lin Chuan. And Lin Donghe, was this your doing today? Because both you and Qin Yue Yue seem to think that Lin Chuan’s family exists to serve others. What gives you that right?”
“What? I had nothing to do with it. You’re trying to sow discord in our family! You have ill intentions!” Lin Donghe stammered, panic evident in his voice. He had never expected his secrets to be exposed so publicly, laid bare before his cousin.
“I have ill intentions? Or do you? If you hadn’t tried to manipulate us today, I wouldn’t have had to reveal this recording. You brought this on yourselves,” Su Su shot back.
Qin Yue Yue, inexperienced in dealing with such a situation, was at a complete loss. She had never imagined that someone in this era would have a recording device, let alone one that didn’t require electricity.
**Author’s Note:** Is the story progressing a bit too quickly?
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