Chapter 1: She, Reborn?

“Jiang Jiali, your wife is right here that’s your sister-in-law! Hahaha~” Malicious laughter drifted from the doorway.

The familiar words sent chills creeping up from Chen Xueying’s feet.

The sound of drums and gongs filled her ears, mingling with the villagers’ boisterous noises and the crackling of firecrackers.

Had she been reborn?

Reborn on the very day she’d desperately insisted on marrying Jiang Jiali and finally gotten her wish?

In her previous life, Jiang Jiali had resented her for clinging to him. He hadn’t even come to fetch his bride, forcing his mother who only arranged things out of consideration for her father being the village party secretary to send Jiang Jiali’s older brother Jiang Yanqing, who was getting married the same day, to fetch her instead.

Under the pretext that “they were all entering the same household anyway,” fetching one bride was no different from fetching two.

She knew Jiang Jiali didn’t like her, but even though her parents felt his actions were humiliating, she’d stubbornly insisted on marrying him.

Jiang Jiali, who had been reaching for someone else, could only clench his teeth and withdraw his hand, shooting Chen Xueying a look of disgust.

So close he’d been so close. Why did he have to be reborn today? If only it had been a little earlier, he would have surely eloped with Niannian. By then, even if his mother disapproved, she’d have no choice but to accept.

But now the bride had already been brought home. If he made any moves now, Niannian’s reputation would surely be ruined.

It was all that bitch’s fault. Despite the red veil covering her face, Chen Xueying could feel his venomous glare.

How pitiful that in her past life, she’d been blind and foolish, throwing herself entirely at Jiang Jiali without noticing any of this. If only she’d paid a little more attention, things wouldn’t have ended up the way they did.

Seeing her son still blocking the way motionless, Liu Guixiang forced a smile and jabbed him hard with her elbow. “Don’t you dare make a scene here. Remember what you promised me.”

Liu Guixiang shot her son a meaningful glance that others might not understand, but Jiang Jiali knew exactly what she meant.

Jiang Jiali glanced at the woman he loved not far away. He just had to endure tonight. After that, his older brother would return to his military unit and soon die in an accident. By then, Niannian would still be in the household, and he could take care of her and see her!

Impatiently, he walked over to Chen Xueying and escorted her into their bridal chamber.

In front of Liu Guixiang, he used a steelyard to lift the red veil. The wedding crashers could all see Jiang Jiali’s displeasure. After offering a few perfunctory congratulations, they left the newlyweds alone and went out to feast.
Liu Guixiang shot her son a warning look, then warmly took Chen Xueying’s hand. “Xueying, dear Auntie, no, I mean Mom Mom has finally been waiting for you to arrive.

From now on, you can rest assured and live here. If Jiali ever bullies you, just tell me, alright?”

Chen Xueying looked at the hypocritical Liu Guixiang before her and smiled in agreement.

There were still guests outside to attend to, so Liu Guixiang couldn’t stay long. After warning her son one last time, she smiled and reminded him before leaving, “Son, stay here and keep Xueying company. Remember to come out later when the firecrackers go off for the vow-taking and toast, understand?”

Jiang Jiali turned his head away, ignoring her. Liu Guixiang could only offer Chen Xueying an awkward smile.

The moment she left, Jiang Jiali dropped all pretense. “Chen Xueying, how can you be so shameless, clinging to me like this? Have you no dignity? Can’t you see I don’t like you?”

The mere thought of his woman following his elder brother into the room made him unbearably agitated.

Now that Chen Xueying had married into the family, she could never leave him anyway, so he couldn’t even be bothered to keep up appearances anymore.

Chen Xueying had to suppress the urge multiple times to pounce on him and beat him to death.

It took her a while to calm herself down. She had been reborn with great difficulty there was no need to ruin this life over such a beast.

Since these two wretched people wanted to be together, she might as well lock them in forever.

“Jiali, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Didn’t your mother say you wanted to marry me? Otherwise, why would I ever want to marry into your family?”

She collapsed onto the kang as if unable to accept the truth, tears streaming down her face like broken pearls.

Jiang Jiali looked somewhat uncomfortable. “So you wouldn’t refuse just because my mother proposed the marriage?”

“But… Auntie said it was your wish? And you never objected. If you had spoken up earlier…” She paused. “Do you not like me?”

She stared at him in shock, as if only just realizing this.

Jiang Jiali sneered. “What is there to like about you? How do you compare to anyone? If not for my mother’s disapproval, I would never have married such a shameless wench.” Since she was desperately in love with him and now married, she would never leave. He saw no reason to hold back anymore.

“So you don’t like me? Does your mother know too? No wonder my third uncle said my mother-in-law asked him for aphrodisiacs for livestock.”

She slumped onto the bed, muttering loudly to herself, “So you planned to consummate the relationship, making it impossible for me to back out or for anyone to stop you, isn’t that right?”

She covered her face and wept, completely unaware of the turmoil her words had stirred in the person standing at the door.

In the past, Jiang Jiali had always been impatient with Chen Xueying’s tears.

But today, as he listened to her sobs, his eyes grew brighter.

In his previous life, on their wedding day, his mother hadn’t drugged him and Chen Xueying. He had made her sleep on the floor and never touched her. However, his elder brother and Niannian had apparently called for water.

Later, Niannian claimed his elder brother had forced himself on her.

By then, his elder brother was already dead, so he hadn’t paid much attention to the matter. But if what Chen Xueying said was true, did that mean his mother had given the drugs to his elder brother and Niannian?

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. His eyes gleamed strangely. In his heart, Lu Niannian loved him. His mother, aware of their mutual affection, must have drugged his elder brother and Niannian to sever his attachment.

Without a second thought for the weeping Chen Xueying on the bed, he tossed out, “Stay here. Don’t go anywhere.” He wasn’t worried she would disobey after all, she loved him so much and feared nothing more than angering him.

Seeing Jiang Jiali rush out, Chen Xueying immediately stood up and chased after him to the door.

“Hey, Jiang Jiali, aren’t you going to swear in with me?”” Chen Xueying called out in a hushed voice, noticing someone watching nearby before quickly closing the door.

As if she would ever go through the wedding ceremony with him! Now that Chen Xueying was already married into the family, his mother’s demand had been met. Even if they switched people at the last minute, her mother couldn’t say a thing.

Moreover, this matter couldn’t be changed anymore. A woman who had held the wedding banquet was considered married. If she returned to her parents’ home, it would be equivalent to being a second-time bride how could she possibly stay there?

When he and Niannian eventually became intimate after drinking the herbal medicine, it would kill two birds with one stone. He could then make his elder brother marry Chen Xueying, while he could be with Niannian. Even his mother wouldn’t be able to stop him then!