Chapter 9: Entering the City
Jiang Ting was itching to slap back, but she clenched her fists, desperately holding back the urge.
She didn't dare gamble.
If Fu Xiangyang really got taken back by Jiang Yu, what was the point of her rebirth?
She covered her face, bowing her head in shame.
Jiang Yu didn't pay any more attention to her and turned around to enter the house.
By the evening, before Wang Meili could even mention Jiang Yu's marriage, Jiang Yu started the conversation.
"Mom, I heard Jiang Hao's girl is asking for a 300-yuan bride price?"
Wang Meili's expression stiffened, not knowing how to reply.
Then, Jiang Yu continued, "Our family's conditions are what they are. Didn't Du Juan know from the beginning? Before she even crosses the threshold, she's trying to empty our pockets. If she does come through the door, heaven knows how she'll try to control you."
Wang Meili, thinking of something, looked troubled.
Dealing with in-laws was always tricky. Just because she cherished Jiang Hao didn't mean she'd get along with her daughter-in-law.
When she married Jiang Yonghua, she endured a period of harsh treatment from Ye Laotai.
After struggling to become the mistress of the house, she wasn't going to let her daughter-in-law push her around. There was no such reasoning.
She glared displeasedly at Jiang Hao, "Your elder sister is right. Why should we give her whatever she asks for?"
Jiang Hao coaxed, "Mom, she won't take it all. She'll definitely bring it back. Besides, she might already be pregnant with my child. If we don't hurry to bring her through the door, you might lose your grandson!"
Wang Meili whacked him on the head, seething with anger, "Are you courting death?!"
Before even coming through the door, doing such things, Du Juan wasn't a good thing either.
Ye Laotai shot her a sharp look, "Enough. The priority now is to bring her through the door as soon as possible. Jiang Yu, we've discussed with Du Juan's family. There's a way to proceed without the bride price."
Jiang Yu stayed calm as usual, asking, "What way?"
Jiang Ting curled her lips, unable to hide her gloating.
But in her heart, she was worried, fearing that Jiang Yu might desperately compete with her for Fu Xiangyang.
It seemed she needed to find a way to lock down Fu Xiangyang's heart.
Ye Laotai was firm and left no room for refusal, "You will marry into the Du family in a bride exchange. If you marry into the Du family in her place, they won't ask for a bride price."
Jiang Yu stayed calm, "Marry whom?"
Both Ye Laotai and Wang Meili fell silent.
It was Jiang Hao, with a haughty air, who finally spoke, "Elder sister, it's Du Juan's second uncle. Rest assured, although he's a bit older, older men know how to cherish a woman. He won't mistreat you."
His self-righteous attitude made Jiang Yu want to punch him.
Jiang Yu responded with an indifferent "Oh," "What if I don't get married?"
Jiang Hao choked, "How can you not marry! If you don't marry, how will we come up with the 300-yuan bride price? If I can't marry a wife, I won't be able to give birth to a grandson for our parents. That would be unfilial!"
Jiang Ting chimed in in agreement, "You're the only marriageable girl of the right age in the family. If you don't marry, who will?"
Ye Laotai said with a stern face, "We've raised you this big; it's time for you to repay the family."
Jiang Yu drooped her eyelids, looking at her chopstick-holding hand.
Her heart hurt—they were her family, after all.
But no matter how much her heart hurt, life went on.
"It's better than selling your sister off. Jiang Hao, even beasts have more humanity than you; how dare you talk about filial piety in front of me? I'm not agreeing to a marriage trade. This is a new society now; selling daughters is against the law."
Wang Meili's expression changed drastically, "Girl, how can you speak so rudely? How is this selling a daughter? If we had money, would we force you to marry? Anyway, you're going to marry someone, so what difference does it make who it is?"
Jiang Yu knew when to stop; it wasn't time to completely break ties yet.
"Mom, it's just 300 yuan. You didn't even discuss it with me and decided to marry me off to an old widower."
The others were startled, all looking at her with astonished eyes.
Jiang Ting sneered, "Like you can come up with 300 yuan. Keep dreaming."
Jiang Yu curled her lips, "I can't, but Great Aunt Ya can! She loves me; it's not like you don't know that. Do you really need to marry me off?"
Wang Meili suddenly realized, slapping her forehead.
"Oh, how could I forget! I didn't even think of Mom!"
If it were up to her, she wouldn't want Jiang Yu to marry in exchange. Jiang Yu was beautiful. If she got the chance to marry into a city family, Jiang Hao would have two city brother-in-laws.
Jiang Hao's chances of getting a job would be much better!
Wang Meili's plans for Jiang Yu were all about profit, not love.
Jiang Yu had grasped her psychology well, which was why she brought up Great Aunt Ya.
"Mom, can you help me get a reference letter from the village chief? I'll stay at Great Aunt Ya's place for two months."
Wang Meili hesitated, "Does it really have to be that long?"
Jiang Hao muttered, "Two months? By the time you borrow the money, it'll be too late."
Jiang Yu glanced at him, "You're only nineteen. Du Juan, who's your age, isn't in a hurry, so why should you be? 300 yuan as a bride price? You don't need nearly that much to marry a city girl. How useless!"
Wang Meili, unusually, agreed with her, "Your elder sister is right. Why are you in such a rush? No wonder they dare to ask for such a high bride price! But Jiang Yu, two months is too long."
Jiang Yu clicked her tongue, "Mom! Two months isn't long. It's 300 yuan we're talking about. You and Dad couldn't even earn that much in your whole lives. I need to coax Great Aunt properly to make her willingly give me the money."
Jiang Yonghua finished his wine and made up his mind, "Get the letter! Go get it tomorrow and send Jiang Yu to the city. Your brother's wedding depends on you!"
He didn't want a marriage trade either, but not for Jiang Hao's sake—it was all about face.
If Jiang Ting married a city man but Jiang Yu was exchanged, it would be a disgrace.
Since the elders had decided, Jiang Hao, though unwilling, didn't dare to say another word.
The next day, Wang Meili went to get the introduction letter herself.
It was inevitable for Wang Meili to boast a little. "Our Jiang Yu is going to stay at her grandaunt's house for a while. As you all know, the old lady is getting on in years and has no children. She just loves having Jiang Yu keep her company and make her happy! Maybe in the future, she can even introduce Jiang Yu to a match from the city."
Once the introduction letter was ready, and Wang Meili had gotten her fill of boasting, she returned home and instructed Jiang Yu. "Take good care of your grandaunt and keep her in good spirits. Three hundred isn't really that much anyway. If you can get a bit more, that'd be even better."
Jiang Yu looked up, her clear, bright eyes reflecting Wang Meili's greedy expression.
"Mom, I get it. How could I not think of Jiang Hao's well-being? Don't worry."
These words made Wang Meili even fonder of her.
"You've got to give something to get something," Wang Meili thought to herself, and after some hesitation, she painfully forked out five dollars.
"Spend it wisely!"
Jiang Yu accepted it without any burden. "Thank you, Mom!"
This infuriated Jiang Ting.
Just as she was about to marry Fu Xiangyang, she had originally planned to ask Wang Meili for ten dollars as a dowry.
But Wang Meili flat-out refused, saying that the only dowry would be one quilt.
She also mentioned that the pink floral shirt she bought for Jiang Ting last time would serve as her dowry.