After discussing it with her family, she decided that she and her two daughters-in-law would take the lead and confront Gu Zhiyuan. They would resort to any means necessary, from tantrums to swindling, to get something out of him.
If things get really out of hand, the men in the family can just step in and say a few conciliatory words. What can they really do to them?
Before leaving, seeing Er Ya and San Ya, Wan Chunni spoke up, saying that if they couldn't persuade them, Er Ya and San Ya should try a softer approach, even if it meant pestering Gu Zhiyuan to bleed money, so that he wouldn't go home empty-handed.
These words convinced Miao Cuihua, who then made it clear to Er Ya and San Ya that if they didn't get the bride price, Er Ya and San Ya would have to get some money to go home and explain themselves.
Otherwise, don't blame her for arranging a "good marriage" for the two of them!
Er Ya and San Ya understood perfectly well that Miao Cuihua was threatening them; if she didn't get the bride price, she would sell them at a high price to families willing to pay a high bride price to be their wives.
Er Ya and San Ya pinned all their hopes on Gu Zhiyuan providing a bride price.
The way Wan Chunni pinched them before she left was a warning and a reminder to the two of them.
Er Ya and San Ya thought that with one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, and considering their sisterly bond of over ten years, they could surely soften Xu Ningyan's heart and get her to agree.
Unexpectedly, Xu Ningyan was completely unmoved by either soft or hard tactics and refused to pay any money.
She was forced into a corner, so she decided to go all out and explain the whole story clearly.
She didn't expect anything else, she just hoped that Siya could take pity on her and Sanya and help them out.
After saying all this, Er Ya stared intently at Xu Ningyan: "Siya, now whether San Ya and I can marry into a good family depends on you! For the sake of our sisterhood, for the sake of San Ya and me taking care of you while you're unconscious, please do us a favor! Comrade Gu is so rich, a little bit of his money could save our lives!"
"It's not much, just eighty-eight yuan and a bicycle. It's definitely nothing to Comrade Gu! At worst, I'll go back and plead with you to get the clothes and shoes waived. Is that alright?"
Judging from Er Ya's tone, it was as if she was thinking of Xu Ningyan and Gu Zhiyuan and saving them money.
Xu Ningyan rolled her eyes: "What a big mouth you have! If you think eighty-eight yuan and a bicycle are nothing, Er Ya, then pay for it yourself! Why are you asking us? We don't have any money! We've spent it all on building houses and buying furniture! We can't compare to you rich and powerful people who don't even care about eighty-eight yuan and a bicycle!"
Er Ya was so angry that she trembled all over when she saw that Xu Ningyan was completely unyielding. She pointed at Xu Ningyan's nose but couldn't say a word.
Seeing Er Ya so angry, San Ya was afraid that she would say something unpleasant and offend her completely.
She jumped in, saying, "Siya, you're a girl too, you know that for a girl, marriage is like a second chance at life! If you don't marry well, you'll have no hope for the rest of your life!"
“You’ve married into a good family. Can you bear to see Er Ya and me sold to some old man in some remote corner as wives? Have you forgotten Daya? When Daya was sold, the three of us sisters hid under the same blanket and cried together for her. Can you bear to see us end up like Daya?”
"Siya, please have pity on us and talk to Comrade Gu, okay? If you're willing to help us with this little bit of money, Erya and I will remember your kindness for the rest of our lives!"
Xu Ningyan glanced at Sanya; here comes another one trying to morally blackmail her.
Unfortunately, Xu Ningyan has no morals, and no one can hold her hostage!
"Look at what you're saying. Your parents were willing to accept a high dowry and sell you off. I have nothing to do with you, so why should I be reluctant?"
"Besides, even if my family were rich and could afford a bicycle, why should I give it to you? Do you think I don't have hands and can't spend money, or that I don't have legs and can't ride a bicycle? And you'll remember our kindness for the rest of your life? Do I need you to remember our kindness? What's the use of you remembering our kindness? Just saying it?"
"Give me eighty-eight yuan and a bicycle, and I'll not only remember your kindness, but I'll also write you a letter of commendation, spreading your selfless spirit far and wide. Do you want it?"
Er Ya and San Ya were speechless after Xu Ningyan's words.
They know they're asking too much, but what can they do?
She was still a young girl, not thick-skinned enough, and was so embarrassed by Xu Ningyan's words that she wanted to disappear.
Er Ya barely managed to say, "Hmph! So what if she's stingy and unwilling to pay? Who are you trying to fool? San Ya, let's go!"
Sanya burst into tears: "But we didn't get any money. How are we going to explain this to Grandma? What if she gets angry and arranges a marriage for us tomorrow?"
Er Ya was actually scared too. Hearing this, she didn't know whether to comfort herself or San Ya: "Let's go back and beg Grandma, or maybe we should beg Auntie. Maybe she'll speak up for us! Auntie wants to marry a city man. If we marry someone badly, she... she'll lose face—"
Even Er Ya herself didn't believe it when she said it, but it was the only method she could think of.
Grandma only listens to her aunt.
"How naive! You still have expectations of the Xu family! Do you think Xu Zhenzhu cares about your life or death? Once you're married off, you'll be like water spilled on the ground to the Xu family. As long as they get the dowry, who cares about your life or death? Isn't Da Ya a living example?"
"Your happiness for the rest of your life is not something you can rely on yourself or others for! That old shrew Miao Cuihua would complain about not having enough money? Even if she gets the money back from me today, would she have the heart to back down when it's time to sell you out?"
"If you really don't want to get married, then so be it. Who can force you? You only think about relying on others to save you, but you can't stand on your own two feet. Who can you blame? Get out of here and stop crying and making a scene at my doorstep!"
After saying these words, Xu Ningyan turned and went into the courtyard.
Er Ya and San Ya looked at each other for a long time before nervously going home.
Xu Ningyan's last two sentences were merely a suggestion out of consideration for their shared gender. Whether Er Ya and San Ya could heed her advice was their own problem, and she couldn't be bothered to care.
Once inside the courtyard, I closed the gate.
Turning around, she met Gu Zhiyuan's gaze, his pupils dark and inky. After seeing Xu Ningyan turn away, he quickly put on a calm expression.
Xu Ningyan didn't care much. This was her true nature. She would be spending a lot of time under the same roof with Gu Zhiyuan in the future, so she couldn't pretend to be anything different.
It would be better to let Gu Zhiyuan prepare himself mentally first.
Therefore, there was no hint of guilt or evasion on her face, and she said frankly, "The matter outside is resolved! Don't worry, I will handle my own troubles from now on, and I won't involve you!"
Gu Zhiyuan opened his mouth: "You and the Xu family—"
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Ningyan interrupted him, looking at Gu Zhiyuan with a very serious expression: "The Xu family's trouble at our door today has served as a wake-up call! There are some things we should clarify first!"
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