Chapter 8: Swap Marriage
The next day, the Fu family came over to discuss marriage.
Jiang Ting was keeping an eye on Jiang Yu, and at the crack of dawn, she pulled Jiang Yu out of bed and told her to go out for a bit.
Jiang Yu thought she was being overly dramatic, "They are going to have a meal at our house. If I go out now, should I come back for lunch?"
In the end, Jiang Ting gritted her teeth and gave her two yuan, telling her to eat out.
Jiang Yu reluctantly agreed and invited Wang Yunshan along to eat two bowls of noodles at the commune.
After strolling around the commune for a while, the two slowly made their way back home.
"It's really scorching today. If it weren't for this meal, I wouldn't have come out with you," Wang Yunshan said, her face red from the sun.
Jiang Yu was even more flushed, her cheeks hinting at sunburn.
Upon returning to South River Village, they encountered the Fu family at the village entrance.
Jiang Yu immediately recognized Fu Xiangyang, and their eyes met. He was clearly astonished, even captivated.
He even stepped forward, blocking her way.
"Comrade, what's your name? I... I..."
Behind Fu Xiangyang, his parents were already showing displeasure.
His mother pulled a long face and said, "Xiangyang, what are you doing?"
Fu Xiangyang, his fair cheeks flushed red, turned away embarrassedly, not daring to admit his attraction.
Jiang Yu felt contempt in her heart; he had just agreed to a marriage with Jiang Ting and still could be captivated by another woman.
"These are the future in-laws, right? I am Jiang Yu, Jiang Ting's older sister."
The Fu family immediately changed their expressions.
Even Fu Xiangyang looked regretful, his eyes showing a complex expression, as if pitying her.
They looked down on her, as if saying: If you were more diligent and proactive, you could be the one marrying into the city today.
That look made Jiang Yu feel disgusted.
His mother didn't even try to hide her disdain, lifting her chin high.
"Girl, let me give you a piece of honest advice, a girl should restrain herself and not show her face everywhere, using her looks to attract attention. No elder likes a daughter-in-law like that. You should learn from your sister, be more diligent."
Jiang Yu smiled, "Aunty, let me also give you a piece of honest advice, women are now liberated, those old-fashioned ideas are not acceptable and will be criticized. Being good-looking naturally attracts attention, and I actually envy you for not having this trouble."
With that, she no longer looked at the Fu family's expressions and passed by Fu Xiangyang, quickening her pace home.
Before reaching the door, her younger sister Jiang Xin rushed out from inside.
Wang Meili had given birth to Jiang Hao but still wanted another son, which was how little Jiang Xin came to be.
Jiang Xin was ten years old this year and still in primary school.
"Big Sister!"
"What are you doing, running so quickly?" Jiang Yu reached out and caught her.
Jiang Xin pulled her towards the hill behind the village, indicating she had a secret to tell.
Wang Yunshan followed behind them, curious to hear.
"Big sis, I heard Brother is seeing someone."
Jiang Yu didn't react. Jiang Hao had been with his girlfriend since middle school. They both failed the high school entrance exam and have been together ever since.
Jiang Hao was nineteen this year. In the countryside, he was already at a marriable age, so it wasn't a big surprise.
"Are they going to get married?"
Jiang Yu's words hit the mark, and Jiang Xin nodded vigorously.
"I heard my brother's girlfriend is asking for a dowry of 300 yuan!"
Wang Yunshan was stunned. "You'd make more money robbing someone!"
Three hundred yuan is enough to marry off a goddess.
Jiang Yu frowned. "Mom can't afford it. There's no way we have 300 yuan."
She remembered that Jiang Hao's girlfriend, Du Juan, was from the countryside too. Why was she asking for such a large sum of 300 yuan?
"If we don't pay up, she won't marry."
Jiang Yu rolled her eyes. "If she doesn't want to marry, then fine. Who's asking her?"
Jiang Xin said, "My brother is asking her. He says he can't live without her."
Jiang Yu had never thought much of Jiang Hao and wasn't interested in his business.
But as Jiang Xin continued, Jiang Yu realized it concerned her.
Wang Meili spoiled Jiang Hao, always giving him whatever he wanted. When he threw a tantrum, his mother would feel sorry for him.
But there was no 300 yuan at home, even if they added Jiang Ting's 50 yuan dowry, it still wouldn't be enough.
At that moment, Jiang Ting spoke up. "We can do a bride exchange! Marry off Jiang Yu to them and bring Du Juan here; that way, we won't need a dowry."
Wang Meili frowned. "Du Juan's family only has two older brothers, and they're both married. How can we do a bride exchange?"
But Jiang Ting's suggestion hit Jiang Hao's heart, as he had been planning this all along.
He stepped forward and said, "Mom, Du Juan's second uncle's wife died. Du Juan's family said that if we marry our older sister to him, Du Juan can come over without a dowry."
Wang Meili immediately rejected the proposal. "No! Her second uncle is too old. If we marry Jiang Yu off to him, our family will be laughed at!"
Marrying off the younger daughter to someone in the city and the older daughter to a widower didn't sound right.
Jiang Hao immediately threw a tantrum. "Is face more important, or is your son more important? I see that you don't care about me. I might as well die!"
No matter how much she disagreed in her heart, once Jiang Hao started making a scene, Wang Meili had no choice but to agree.
From beginning to end, no one cared if Jiang Yu agreed or not.
It was as if the only value in her existence was whether she could be exchanged for money.
Wang Yunshan spat fiercely and kicked the nearby stone away.
"They're worse than beasts!"
Jiang Xin, looking completely helpless, took out the two cents she had been saving forever and stuffed it into Jiang Yu's hand.
"Big sis, you gotta get out of here! Don't marry your sister-in-law's second uncle."
At first, Jiang Yu's heart sank. After all, they were her actual mother and younger brother.
But then she reminded herself, they'd always been like this, so it wasn't a surprise.
Seeing Jiang Xin's hesitant yet determined expression as she gave her the money, Jiang Yu's last trace of displeasure disappeared.
No one had her back, so she had to watch her own back.
Not just for herself, but also for the still-young Jiang Xin.
If Wang Meili sold her off, she would absolutely not let Jiang Xin follow the same path.
"Don't worry, big sister knows what she's doing." She pushed the two cents back into Jiang Xin's hand and turned to go home.
After two steps, she stopped and looked back at Wang Yunshan.
"Yunshan, your parents are just like mine. Neither of them are any good. Instead of waiting around for them to decide your fate, why not take your fate into your own hands and find someone who's really right for you? Marry him and go far away."
Wang Yunshan froze in place, her eyes slightly red, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall.
"What will you do?"
Jiang Yu pretended to be relaxed. "I still have my great-grandmother backing me up, so what's there to fear?"
Wang Yunshan nodded. "Go to your great-grandmother's place. If you're gonna get married to some old and ugly guy anyway, it's better to find someone from the city."
Jiang Yu burst out laughing and waved her hand.
"Don't worry."
She was good at adjusting her own mood. If she were a sensitive and melancholic person, she would have probably been driven to death by Wang Meili's words long ago.
Humming a tune, Jiang Yu entered the house and immediately saw Jiang Ting's gloating face.
Deliberately showing off, Jiang Ting walked up to Jiang Yu.
"My marriage with Fu Xiangyang is set."
Jiang Yu responded with an indifferent "Oh," not really caring.
Not seeing the reaction she hoped for, Jiang Ting followed Jiang Yu and tried her best to show off.
"His parents are very satisfied with me and can't wait for me to marry into the family. But don't worry, your marriage is also almost set. When mom and dad tell you, you'll be very happy too."
Jiang Yu fell silent, unable to understand why Jiang Ting hated her so much no matter how hard she thought.
The sisters didn't have a particularly close relationship, but there shouldn't be any deep hatred either.
Jiang Yu rubbed her itchy palm and turned to slap Jiang Ting across the face.
Jiang Xin was stunned. This was the first time she had seen Jiang Yu hit someone.
Jiang Ting covered her face, incredulous, but the stinging pain in her face reminded her that Jiang Yu really had slapped her.
Jiang Yu rubbed her stinging palm, her voice cold and detached: "I met Fu Xiangyang at the village entrance. I was so stunning that he was completely dazed and even came up to ask my name. Jiang Ting, do you think he'd want to marry you or me if I go to the city to find him now?"
Tears welled up in Jiang Ting's eyes, her eyes brimming with unyielding hatred.
She snapped, "Don't you dare!"
Jiang Yu shot her a contemptuous glance.
"It's not about daring; it's about wanting to. You backed me into a corner, so I'm giving you no escape. So you'll finally see— who ends up in the marriage trade with Du Juan? Will it be you or me?"