System: [At today's coming-of-age ceremony, someone will ask for the second young lady's hand. He's the young master from the family of an aunt on Madam Lin's elder legitimate sister's husband's side.]
Jiang Shuyue counted on her fingers... What a close relation!
Jiang Chen's face darkened, and he gave a displeased inward snort.
Was Shuangshuang someone trash like that could covet?
System: [Anyway, Madam Lin took that family connection into account. She also thought that, as the third-place scholar in the previous imperial examination, he had a respectable character and family background, so she didn't refuse at the time and agreed to it.] [Who would have thought that, toward the end of the banquet, Lin Shuangshuang would fall into the water and be rescued by him? Since he'd seen her body, the Lin Family agreed to the marriage.]
Jiang Shuyue hadn't known about this.
Perhaps it involved a minor character, so the Heavenly Dao hadn't loaded this incident into her mind when importing the scenario.
Everyone knew that Yu Wenzhong, the third-place scholar from the previous imperial examination, was smooth and talented. Unfortunately, his family background was too humble, and he was born of a concubine, so he still held only a sinecure.
Marrying the Lin Family's second young lady to someone like him would truly be a shame.
The system sighed: [But who could have guessed? The whole affair with Lin Shuangshuang was scripted and staged by Yu Wenzhong himself.] [The poems that made him famous were either plagiarized or written by impoverished scholars whom he'd threatened or bribed. He even cheated in the imperial examinations.] [After placing third, he got full of himself. Relying on the favor he enjoyed, he trampled his family's legitimate son underfoot and nearly killed his own elder brother.] [This time, he wanted to climb higher. Seeing that the Lin Family's second young lady was straightforward, innocent, and easy to bully, he set his sights on her. Poor girl felt she was no longer worthy of your brother and planned to bring her remaining days to an end.] [But after that Yu bastard married her, he confined her to a courtyard and psychologically manipulated her every day. He also kept several mistresses outside the home and had children with them.] [By the time Lin Shuangshuang found out, she'd already been drugged into infertility. That scumbag manipulated her some more, and finally, on a dark and windy night, she found a rope and hanged herself to join your brother.]
Jiang Shuyue looked at Lin Shuangshuang sympathetically.
She was still such a bright, cheerful girl. It was impossible to imagine that she would meet such a tragic end.
Jiang Shuyue cursed inwardly: Bastard! Addicted to bullying women, are you? He'd better never cross my path, or I'll skin him alive and vent this anger for all the girls in the world!
The women were so moved that their tears flowed freely.
They had long heard that she was a country bumpkin unfit for polite society.
They hadn't expected her to have such fire in her blood!
Lin Shuangshuang went deathly pale. She had met Yu Wenzhong a few times. Though she hadn't particularly liked him, her impression of him hadn't been too bad.
She hadn't imagined he was that sort of man.
And she hadn't even married...
Lin Shuangshuang stole a glance at Jiang Chen. His face had already gone deathly pale, and the veins on his forehead bulged.
He couldn't bear to say even one harsh word to Lin Shuangshuang, yet that bastard had dared to bully her.
He was courting death!
Madam Lin and Lord Lin looked even grimmer.
For the sake of their family ties, they had always treated Yu Wenzhong courteously and had never slighted him in the least.
Lord Lin had even taken quite an interest in Yu Wenzhong's appointment this time and had been preparing to pull some strings.
He hadn't imagined that beast would treat his daughter like that!
Lord Lin had only two daughters. One had married a wealthy merchant far away in Jiangnan and had borne a son.
The other was Lin Shuangshuang.
She was the daughter he cherished in the palm of his hand. How dared Yu Wenzhong?
Lord Lin had always disliked Jiang Chen, but by comparison, he now found him rather pleasing to the eye.
Only after cursing the scumbag 1,008 times in her mind did Jiang Shuyue feel a little better.
Jiang Shuyue: That bastard wants to lay hands on my sister-in-law today, does he? Then I'll stay with Lin Shuangshuang. If I don't twist his dick off, my name isn't Jiang Shuyue!
Jiang Chen was both shocked and delighted.
He was delighted that his little sister was so good to him, and that she even called Shuangshuang her sister-in-law.
What shocked him was that twisting a man's dick off was far too outrageous. That wasn't something a girl ought to do!
The Lin Family looked at Jiang Shuyue in an entirely different light.
System: [Don't act rashly. He has an accomplice: Chen Tingting, the Lin Family's young cousin. She was jealous that Lin Shuangshuang was better than her and lived a better life, so she secretly joined forces with Yu Wenzhong.] [Later, when Lin Shuangshuang was imprisoned in the Yu household, Chen Tingting also maneuvered behind the scenes to make the Lin Family sever ties with her.]
Jiang Shuyue: Hoho, another one who hurts others without benefiting herself! What goes on in these people's heads? Even if she got Lin Shuangshuang killed, she wouldn't get any of the benefits.
System: [Jealousy, of course. A woman's heart is a needle on the ocean floor. I'd advise you not to try to fathom it.]
Everyone nodded. The system had spoken straight to their hearts.
Jiang Shuyue rolled her eyes: Chen Tingting is jealous of my second sister-in-law, is she? Then let her choke to death on her jealousy. I'll have my second brother propose in a moment!
Lin Shuangshuang and Jiang Chen exchanged a blushing glance, then immediately looked away.
Lin Shuangshuang admitted that she liked this little tyrant.
But was he truly willing?
Jiang Chen secretly rejoiced. Why hadn't he thought of that?
If that rotten bastard could ask for her hand, why couldn't he?
He would not only propose, but do it in grand style, letting the entire city know that he, Jiang Chen, was going to marry Lin Huanhuan.
Jiang Chen turned and gave his servant a few instructions. The servant beamed as brightly as spring sunshine and dashed off like the wind.
Seeing their behavior, Madam Lin exchanged a glance with Lord Lin.
The two warmly took the Jiang Family siblings by the hands and led them inside.
Jiang Shuyue surveyed the people around her as she ate, but even after a long while, she saw no sign of Yu Wenzhong.
Even when the coming-of-age ceremony ended, the scumbag still hadn't appeared.
Jiang Shuyue glumly bit into a cucumber. Just as she was about to complain that things weren't following the plot, someone from the Liu Family arrived.
Liu Sheng entered the Lin residence with a smile, bringing thirty chests of betrothal gifts.
The Lin Family exchanged glances and immediately escorted Liu Sheng to the rear hall.
Jiang Shuyue wondered: Isn't that my second maternal uncle? What is he doing here? Even if he's bringing presents, surely he doesn't need thirty chests?
System: [He's delivering betrothal gifts! Some of your two brothers' betrothal gifts were prepared by your mother, but the bulk came from your uncle and maternal grandfather.] [Your second brother just sent someone back to fetch your second maternal uncle. He wants to marry Lin Shuangshuang.]
Jiang Yueying's jaw dropped in astonishment. Her second brother might tremble whenever he saw the Lin Family's second young lady, but she hadn't expected him to be so reliable when it mattered.
Blushing, Jiang Chen edged closer to Lin Shuangshuang. "Um, this is a bit sudden, so please don't mind, but I really, um, well... you know, right?"
Lin Shuangshuang blushed too. "Look at you, you big idiot! Is it that hard to say you like me?"
Jiang Chen's face turned as red as a persimmon, and he scratched his head and grinned like a bumbling fool.
"Hehe, I do. I like you most of all!"
Everyone was force-fed a mouthful of their lovey-dovey display, enough to leave them stuffed.
Still, most were happy to see two people in love finally come together.
It was just that Jiang Chen's reputation wasn't very good, so getting past his father-in-law would still be a little difficult.
Perhaps... there would be more juicy gossip to enjoy!
Everyone wore an indulgent auntie's smile as their gazes settled on Jiang Shuyue, ready to keep listening to the gossip.
System: [Latest news: the Lin Family's people have pinned Yu Wenzhong down in the inner courtyard. Chen Tingting has been restrained along with him.]
Before you continue