With a slender figure and elegant demeanor, he wore a student uniform typical of the Republic of China era. The immaturity of his youth had not completely faded, and he exuded the vigor and sharpness of youth, yet he had subtly concealed his brilliance. Coupled with his calm and refined features and tranquil eyes, he was extremely attractive to women.
That's right, this is the future husband that the original owner took a liking to at first sight. However, in the original owner's memory, they seemed to have never met before the marriage. Why is he here now? Has the plot changed?
Xiang Wan looked at him without speaking, and Wu Ziyu remained silent, just staring at him and scrutinizing him. Then, Wu Ziyu frowned, turned around, and left first.
"Oh dear, Miss, you scared me to death. Young Master Wu was here just now, and I didn't dare to make a sound because I was afraid of disturbing you." The maid Huan'er placed the pastries on the table and then picked up a fan to fan Xiang Wan. "Miss, you see, I was right. Young Master Wu is very handsome and a perfect match for you. Moreover, the Wu family has a good background, so you definitely won't be mistreated after you marry him."
"You found out again?" Xiang Wan asked lazily. From her observation of Wu Ziyu just now, he clearly knew about her, yet he left without saying a word. If he wasn't satisfied with his family's arrangements, he could have simply refused; why marry her in the first place?
"Everyone in the city knows that Young Master Wu has studied abroad. His eloquence and knowledge are well-known. Many young ladies from prominent families are eager to marry him, but you don't seem to care at all. If you really refuse the marriage, you will definitely regret it later."
Huan'er spoke earnestly, like an old woman nagging, but Xiang Wan just listened with amusement. After the original owner married into the family, Huan'er was initially there for company, but her future mother-in-law took her away, claiming it was the proper way to fulfill filial piety by doing everything herself. What a load of rubbish! Filial piety should be the son's responsibility, not hers as the daughter-in-law! She received no kindness in raising her, nor did she owe her any help, yet she was expected to care for the elderly in place of her son. If they were truly in love, helping him fulfill his filial duties would be one thing, but he didn't love her, yet he expected her to repay the debt of raising him. Xiang Wan could only scoff and tell him to go away and cool off somewhere else.
In China, a custom passed down from who-knows-when has been in place for centuries: a new bride is inevitably controlled by her mother-in-law upon entering the family, and the bride takes this for granted. Perhaps it's due to the influence of patriarchal thinking, or perhaps it's caused by women's lack of economic power. Xiang Wan is powerless to change anything, but she herself will absolutely not accept it.
Huan'er talked for a long time, then turned around and found her young mistress was lost in thought. She was so angry that she fell backward, her little face turning red, which was quite amusing.
"Alright, alright, whether I get married or not isn't up to me, nor is it up to you, little girl. We'll just listen."
After calming the little girl down, Xiang Wan went to Jiang's parents' place to find out where the marriage negotiations were progressing.
That's right, Xiang Wan didn't intend to just cancel the marriage like that. She wanted to marry into the Wu family so that they would have a chance to make the family pay for what the original owner of the body had done. If Jiang's parents were involved, they would inevitably be implicated.
It would be best if Wu Ziyu had no feelings for Xiang Wan. If he did, it would be a way of repaying the emotional debt he owed the original owner in his previous life. Emotional debts are the hardest to repay. Only by destroying the heart of the original owner can her resentment be eliminated.
As Xiang Wan walked through the courtyard, she could hear laughter and conversation coming from the Jiang family's living room from afar. She stepped inside. Jiang's father and Wu Ziyu's father were sitting at the head of the table, talking. They nodded to her as she entered. Jiang's mother and Wu's mother were also sitting nearby, while Wu Ziyu stood behind his mother, his eyes lowered and brows furrowed, seemingly lost in thought.
"Come here, Wan'er, we were just talking about you." Jiang's mother pulled Xiang Wan in front of her and introduced the Wu family to her one by one. "This is your Uncle Wu, who is a comrade of your father. This is Aunt Wu, and this is Wu Ziyu, the young master of the Wu family. Come, Wan'er, greet him."
"Hello, Uncle Wu. Hello, Aunt Wu." Xiang Wan greeted them politely, earning unanimous praise from the elderly couple.
"I told you, Xiang Wan is a good girl, well-mannered and pretty, the kind of girl many people would kill for. If it weren't for your father's connection with your Uncle Jiang, Yu'er, you probably wouldn't have had this opportunity." Mother Wu teased her son with a smile, seemingly extremely pleased with Xiang Wan, which also won over Mr. and Mrs. Jiang. Looking at her kind and gentle appearance, no one would imagine that she would later become the legendary wicked mother-in-law.
Wu Ziyu's father was in his prime, possessing a scholarly air, but more so the shrewdness of a businessman. Xiang Wan guessed that given how much Jiang's parents doted on their daughter, her dowry must have been substantial; why had she never seen it since she entered the Wu family?
"Alright, alright, there's no time like the present. I think Ziyu is quite handsome, so let's settle the marriage today and put an end to this important matter on our minds."
Jiang's father approved the engagement, and the Wu family elders had no objection. Jiang's mother instructed Xiang Wan to take Wu Ziyu around the mansion, while she discussed the marriage arrangements with Wu's mother.
After leaving the house in the evening, Xiang Wan led Wu Ziyu to a relatively secluded pavilion.
"Miss Jiang seems to have something to say?"
With no outsiders around, Wu Ziyu seemed like a different person. He leaned against the pillar of the pavilion, staring intently at Xiang Wan with deep, unwavering eyes.
“Young Master Wu, you must have something to say, right? Why don’t you speak frankly?” Xiang Wan sat down on a stool a meter away from him, turned to look at him, “Let’s not beat around the bush. It seems that Young Master Wu is not willing to accept this marriage. Could it be that you have someone you love?”
Wu Ziyu chuckled and sat down opposite Xiang Wan, one hand propped on the stone table and the other on his knee, tapping the table with his index finger: "Miss Jiang, have you taken a fancy to me? Forgive my poor eyesight, I didn't see it."
"Then what do you think," Xiang Wan said, resting her chin on her hands and looking intently into Wu Ziyu's eyes, "that I've fallen for you?"
Xiang Wan blinked quickly, throwing the question back at him. Wu Ziyu had studied abroad, so in theory he shouldn't accept such a traditional "arranged marriage" unless he had ulterior motives.
"If I said I didn't like you, would you not marry me?"
“Oh, what a coincidence,” Xiang Wan sat up straight. “I really didn’t fancy you, but in this chaotic world, your Wu family is a good place to go. You came to my Jiang family because you were interested in our reputation, right? In that case, why don’t we each get a proper status, so our parents won’t have to worry about us.”
“Ah, Miss Jiang is a straightforward person, and that’s exactly what I was thinking too.”
"However, I must agree to three conditions. First, I only seek the title of husband and wife, not the actual marriage; second, the dowry is my private property, and your Wu family is not allowed to touch it; third, we are only in a business relationship, and your parents cannot make things difficult for me. If there is anything you are not satisfied with, you must unconditionally stand by my side."
"Miss Jiang, you overestimate yourself. Why should I agree to your demands?"
Xiang Wan raised an eyebrow and said, "Because you have no choice but to marry me!"
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