Zhou Ling looked at the bright red wedding dress she was wearing and felt disgusted.
He Shujuan knew that she and Lu Wanqing didn't get along, and that old hag even gave Lu Wanqing her clothes to wear.
She even said the dress cost a lot of money. Pshaw, she's just deliberately trying to mess with her.
"What's so nice about this dress? It's so hot, and you're covering me up like this. I'm going to die of heat!" Zhou Ling complained to the group of young girls as she sat on the wedding bed in the bridal chamber.
Lu Wanqing's dress features short sleeves with puff sleeves and lace, a fitted neckline, and a back zipper that extends almost to the nape of the neck. The hem is also very long, reaching almost to the ankles, making it quite conservative.
The material is thin cotton, which is fairly breathable, but in the hot summer, it will definitely feel a bit stuffy than wearing short sleeves.
"You're only wearing this for a short while, why make such a fuss? You look so glamorous today, every girl who sees you will ask where you had it done. Don't go looking for trouble!" He Shujuan maintained a polite smile on her face, but whispered through gritted teeth in her ear.
Zhou Ling wasn't someone who grew up being easily intimidated. If she was put on the defensive as soon as she entered the door, how would she live her life from now on?
She started tearing at the clothes frantically, but the clothes were finely stitched and extremely sturdy, so she had to reach for the zipper at the back.
After pulling it open a little, she frantically tore at it with her hands, tearing the zipper apart.
Finally, she took it off, and with a cold smile, she changed into her prettiest dress, looking at He Shujuan with a smug expression.
"Stop using Lu Wanqing's things to annoy me. It's not like I can't afford to buy them myself."
She was usually quite pampered at home and had many dresses made at the tailor shop in the county town.
He Shujuan was angry, but she couldn't show it in front of everyone. Just then, an aunt called her, so she went out.
As soon as she left, a group of young people pushed and shoved Xu Erlai into the new house.
Making a ruckus during the wedding night is a local custom.
Xu Erlai was a petty thief and a good-for-nothing, and most of his friends were hooligans.
Seeing Zhou Ling wearing a sleeveless, low-cut dress, the material was thin and sheer, and her snow-white skin was faintly visible under the candlelight, with a large section of her long white legs exposed, everyone's hearts were filled with desire.
"Erlai, you're so lucky to have married such a beautiful new bride. Come on, friends, let the bride and groom drink a toast together!" someone started to cheer.
Zhou Ling believed she could handle this small situation with ease, and amidst the cheers of the crowd, she actually crossed hands with Xu Erlai and drank a cup together.
Little did she know, these people were no saints; after finishing one cup, they'd have another.
As the two became increasingly drunk, someone began to grope Zhou Ling.
Zhou Ling then realized the seriousness of the situation and struggled desperately to dodge, but the thin layer of clothing could not withstand the tearing of several strong men, and it was soon torn to shreds, and Zhou Ling was touched all over.
Xu Erlai was drunk and, seeing his wife being violated, he clapped and cheered.
If He Shujuan hadn't come in, who knows how far the absurd wedding pranks would have gone...
The next morning, when Zhou Ling woke up, her whole body ached, there seemed to be a little blood on the corner of her mouth, and her body was covered in bruises.
She looked at Xu Erlai lying next to her, drooling and soundly asleep, and really wanted to kick him to death!
Knowing she was pregnant, he forced her to satisfy him in other ways, and when she refused, he beat and kicked her.
She has no idea how she got through the night.
Just then, He Shujuan's voice came from outside the door, banging on it and yelling: "What time is it? Still sleeping in? Get up and cook!"
"If it weren't for my eldest grandson, I really shouldn't have married such a lazy woman."
The eldest daughter-in-law, He Miaolian, quickly and obediently said to He Shujuan, "Zhou Ling just came in, let me do it, let her sleep a little longer!"
He Shujuan was even angrier. "I'm already up, how dare she sleep? From now on, don't cook at home, let her cook. Let's see if she dares to go against me!"
Li Miaolian secretly smiled and went back to her room to help her son get dressed.
Zhou Ling struggled to get up, but before she could even get out of bed, He Shujuan rushed in with a broom, threatening to hit her.
She had no choice but to hurry to the kitchen. Having never cooked before, she had to start learning to cook on her first day at her husband's family home.
However, after the meal was prepared, she was scolded again. If Xu Erlai hadn't stopped her, He Shujuan would have hit her with the broom.
Three days later, on her return visit to her parents' home, He Shujuan led Zhou Ling back to Zhou Changsheng's house with a smile.
Zhou Ling's eyes had lost their sparkle. Faced with He Shujuan's threats, she didn't dare tell her parents the truth about the abuse she had suffered.
"Xiaoling, if you feel wronged, just tell Mom." Zhou's mother still noticed something was off.
Zhou Changsheng interrupted her irritably, "We're in the same team, what grievances could the Xu family possibly give her! Do they think I and her older brother are just decorations!"
A dull knife is the most agonizing. He Shujuan saw a hint of ruthlessness in Zhou Changsheng's eyes, which is why she stopped torturing Zhou Ling.
Zhou Ling also inadvertently learned that it was Lu Wanqing who told He Shujuan about her and Xu Erlai sneaking into the woods.
At the time, she was dragged into the grove by Xu Erlai, and she was completely bewildered. How did Lu Wanqing know?
Does she even know that she pushed herself into the water when she fell in?
Who cares? So much time has passed. Even if they knew, so what? She's already married to Xu Erlai, and Xu Erlai, as the witness, won't tell anyone.
What angered her was that if Lu Wanqing hadn't told He Shujuan that Xu Erlai had slept with her, she could have married Luo Hao smoothly.
Luo Hao was handsome and skilled at hunting to earn money, making him far superior to Xu Erlai.
Thinking of this, her hatred for Lu Wanqing deepened.
While everyone was busy working and harvesting rice, she took the wedding dress to the Lin family.
In the west room of the Lin family home, Elaine Chao spread fabric on the table and was using chalk to make a pattern. Sunlight streamed through the glass window, shining on her and making her look serene and beautiful, showing no signs of mental instability.
Snowball lay on the windowsill sunbathing, occasionally licking its paws with its tongue.
Lu Wanqing was cooking mung bean soup on the stove outside. She was going to take it to Lin Ye and the others later.
The sun is scorching outside, and you'll be covered in sweat after working for a while, so you need to drink plenty of water.
After the reddish-brown broth cooled, she poured it into an earthenware jar. Fearing that others would steal Lin Ye's broth, she also poured an extra jar.
Just as she was carrying two earthenware pots and walking out of the courtyard, Zhou Ling walked towards her with a skirt in her hand.
Lu Wanqing was in a hurry to deliver mung bean soup to Lin Ye and didn't want to pay attention to her, but Zhou Ling reached out and blocked her way.
"Lu Wanqing, why are you walking so fast? I'm here to return your clothes. The quality of your clothes is terrible. They're stuffy and the zippers are broken. How am I supposed to wear them now? Give me my money back! Otherwise, I'll let everyone see what kind of clothes you make!"
Lu Wanqing was amused by her. The wedding dress was meant to be worn at the wedding, and now she wanted a refund after wearing it? This was deliberately making trouble!
"Who are you? Aunt He asked me to make this dress. She's the one who contacts me for anything. I don't know anyone else!"
Zhou Ling: "......"
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