Chapter 1 Rebirth in the 1970s
Machinery factory compound.
Zhang Xiumei pushed the braised pork on the table in front of Lin Ziqiu.
"Zi Qiu, you are already nineteen this year. Logically, you should have reached the age to go to the countryside, but your younger sister loves you and doesn't want you to suffer in the countryside, so she gave you such a good marriage in the Zhong family."
"The old man of the Zhong family is a leader, and his family is rich and powerful. If you marry him, you will enjoy endless wealth and glory."
Lin Ziqiu's hands on his knees tightened slightly. It seems that Lin Mengyao was also reborn, even earlier than her.
Yesterday, she and her ex-husband Shen Nanfeng divided their property, and she chartered a boat to celebrate in the evening. As a result, she encountered high waves, and when she opened her eyes again, she was back to the year she had spent in the countryside.
In her previous life, she had finally found her biological father and thought that her hard work had paid off, but she unexpectedly received news that her biological mother had passed away and her biological father had remarried.
The reason they brought her back was just to let her go to the countryside in place of Lin Mengyao.
In her previous life, the stepsister was eager to marry Zhong Zhiyang, the youngest son of the Zhong family. However, who would have thought that Zhong Zhiyang already had a lover, and eloped with his lover the day before their wedding.
Because of this, Lin Mengyao rarely went out, for fear that others would point fingers at her.
Three years passed like this, and she finally got Zhong Zhiyang back, but was kicked out of the house with nothing.
Lin Ziqiu, who went to the countryside in her place, married the team leader's grandson soon after. After the college entrance examination was resumed in 1977, the couple were both admitted to Peking University and Tsinghua University. They took advantage of the reform and expanded the store, and the family business quickly spread across the country and abroad.
Before Lin Ziqiu even started eating, Lin Mengyao couldn't wait to speak, "Sister, you've suffered so much before, I can't bear to leave you..."
Seeing Lin Mengyao acting like a good sister, Lin Ziqiu said slowly, "Aunt Zhang, Yaoyao has never suffered since she was a child. How dare I compete with her for marriage? If anything happens to her in the countryside, I will feel bad for the rest of my life. I'd better go."
Zhang Xiumei looked surprised; she didn't expect Lin Ziqiu to dare to refute her.
If Mengyao hadn't said that Zhong Zhiyang was just a pretty face but a rotten heart, she wouldn't have agreed to let her daughter go to the countryside. But if their family could marry into the Zhong family, then Lin Dahai might be able to become the workshop director, so this marriage would only benefit Lin Ziqiu.
She smiled and said, "Zi Qiu, you have been back to our family for more than five years, you should know the Zhong family very well. This marriage was originally arranged by your mother and the Zhong family. Meng Yao was ignorant before and insisted on marrying into the family, but Auntie really feels guilty about it."
"This is your aunt and your father's compensation to you. I hope you can live a better life in the future."
Lin Ziqiu smiled wryly: "Aunt Zhang, you are joking. Since my sister wants to get married, let her get married. I won't do anything like stealing someone's love."
Zhang Xiumei's face turned pale. This was the first time that someone, usually a timid person, talked back to her. She was extremely angry for a moment, but her husband was sitting next to her, so she couldn't lose her temper.
Seeing that she disagreed, Lin Mengyao was anxious: "Sister, which girl in our compound doesn't want to marry him? The Zhong family is powerful, what else are you dissatisfied with?"
"Besides, if you really go to the countryside, you have a weak personality and you are unfamiliar with the place. If you are bullied, no one will support you."
Father Lin noticed Lin Ziqiu's dissatisfaction and said in a bad tone: "If it weren't for your Aunt Zhang's kindness and not wanting you to suffer, do you think you would have been able to get married?"
"If you don't want to get married, get out of here. I don't have a daughter like you!"
After seeing through the hypocrisy of this family in her previous life, Lin Ziqiu was no longer the silly girl who hoped to gain her father's approval.
She ate a piece of meat, stood up and said, "Since it's not my turn, then let the person whose turn it is marry."
"Bang!" Father Lin was furious and slammed his chopsticks on the table, "Don't be ungrateful!"
Zhang Xiumei was afraid that if she angered her, she would not marry again and would not be able to explain to the Zhong family.
She hurried forward to grab Lin Ziqiu and said in a gentle voice: "Ziqiu, you are grown up now, and you know that we can't afford to offend the Zhong family. As long as you nod, auntie will agree to any conditions you put forward."
Lin Ziqiu turned her head and looked at her, smiling and saying, "Before my mother left me a sum of money, a total of 736.25 yuan. You must give it to me without a penny less, otherwise I will never marry you!"
In her previous life, because she was abducted by human traffickers, her mother became sick with worry, so Lin's father added something to the medicine she often took, and she eventually died of poisoning.
Not long after, Zhang Xiumei moved into the staff housing compound, and the money naturally went into her pocket.
As soon as these words came out, Lin Mengyao could no longer sit still and subconsciously retorted: "No!"
This money was her dowry. She was hoping to use it to live a more comfortable life in the countryside. How could it be taken away so easily by Lin Ziqiu?
Lin Ziqiu asked back: "This is what my mother left me, why do you object?"
At this time, Zhang Xiumei's son put down his chopsticks and said disdainfully: "Second sister, what's the point of stealing a dead person's money? If she wants it, just give it to her. After all, our family is not short of money."
Hearing this, Lin Mengyao frowned and glared at him.
Before she could refute, she heard a "slap" sound, and Lin Ziqiu slapped Lin Xiaojun hard. His fair face quickly turned red, and even the mouthful of rice he had just swallowed came out.
Lin Xiaojun had been pampered since he was a child and had never been beaten. At this moment, he covered his face and cried in disbelief.
Zhang Xiumei held him in her arms distressedly, her voice trembling with anger, "Lin Ziqiu, are you sick today? Why did you hit Xiaojun?! Was he wrong?"
Lin Ziqiu watched this scene with cold eyes and said softly, "He enjoys everything my mother left behind, but he thinks my mother is unlucky. I think he is no different from a beast!"
Father Lin glared at his daughter, who had no feelings for him, with dissatisfaction, "After all, he is still your brother. You don't have to hit him."
Lin Ziqiu snorted coldly, facing his anger without any fear, "Tsk, you feel bad already? Let me tell you, I am not only scolding him, but also you! You are a family of heartless beasts!"
Lin Mengyao behind him swallowed her saliva. Is this still the soft persimmon that was easily bullied in the previous life? However, when she thought about her past life, whenever her short-lived mother was mentioned, Lin Ziqiu would bite people everywhere like a mad dog.
Father Lin was so angry that he raised the bowl and wanted to throw it at Zhang Xiumei. Zhang Xiumei stopped him and said, "Zi Qiu, Xiaojun was wrong just now. Your brother is young and ignorant. You are right to educate him."
"But you all have the surname Lin, and you are a family. I sincerely hope that you can live a good life in the future. I will give you this money as your dowry."
Compared to the few hundred dollars, Zhang Xiumei hopes that the Lin family can climb up the big tree of the Zhong family. Then she will get much more than the few hundred dollars.
Lin Ziqiu rubbed his sore palms and nodded expressionlessly.
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