Zhenniang: The Three of Us (19)
The entire Song family stood frozen in place.
They had considered all possible reactions from Zhao Zhenniang, but they never expected her to break off the engagement.
This concept was beyond the comprehension of the Song family, so much so that Old Master Song asked again in disbelief, "You want to break off the engagement?"
Zhao Zhenniang did not back down, but instead held the cloth bundle even closer: "Yes, I want to annul the engagement. This is an apology, please accept it."
It's always been the other family that uses money to get rid of the other family from the engagement, never the other family using money to get rid of the other family from the engagement. Master Song's face instantly darkened.
Seeing that no one reacted, Zhao Zhenniang handed the money to her familiar steward, but the steward dared not accept it.
Having no other choice, Zhao Zhenniang transferred the money to Song San.
Song San: ...
Although marriage is a matter of personal freedom, in an era of semi-equality and semi-patriarchal oppression, this freedom specifically meant that men could choose not to marry a wife from the countryside and freely marry many new wives.
This does not mean that a woman from the countryside can marry freely, nor does it mean that a woman from the countryside can break off an engagement freely, much less that a woman from the countryside can break off an engagement happily.
Men of this era also support free love and admire love.
Even men themselves love to write love stories like Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, and are keen to depict awakened women breaking with convention and bravely pursuing love.
But this doesn't mean they truly support women's liberation, nor does it mean they want women to be free; they are simply projecting themselves into the shoes of the new beneficiaries.
No matter what kind of love a woman pursues, there is always a man who benefits.
This kind of lukewarm love revolution can be used as a garland to adorn oneself, without the worry of actually being hurt.
Perhaps this could be used to seduce the bodies of some newly liberated women who are angry about their situation but cannot find an outlet.
Allowing women to vent their anger and freedom in love is far safer than gender oppression, which is even more deeply hidden by feudal hierarchy.
Otherwise, why would we sing praises of love, especially the Liang-Zhu story and the Romeo and Juliet template, instead of praising Medea?
Medea really killed him.
In this era, free love is more like a luxury item marketed during a special period.
Women often feel that the love they painstakingly create is equal to that of men.
But having your home filled with luxury goods and wearing any one of them is certainly different from spending all your money to buy a luxury item and keeping it as a keepsake.
Men sing praises of free love because there are so many paths in this world open to them, and love is just one of them.
Women sing praises of love because it is the only thing they, in their poverty, can reach, and the only area that their invisible masters tacitly allow to be opened to them.
Because it is unique, it is worth dedicating one's life to depicting it. Because of this effort, love appears beautiful, and the man who wears love appears beautiful as well.
But love between men and women is of course different. For example, right now, Song San easily fell silent.
Zhao Zhenniang gestured for him to take it quickly, but Song San didn't move.
He squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "What are you trying to do?"
Zhao Zhenniang: ...
"No matter what I'm up to, as long as you take this money, we'll have nothing to do with each other anymore, isn't that perfect?"
Song San: ...
Because of his mixed emotions, Song San stood still, but Zhang Ying couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed his collar.
"Hey! What's wrong with you? Say something!"
When Zhang Ying grabbed his collar, Song Sancai realized he needed to consider his girlfriend's feelings first and immediately reached for her hand: "Shuyan, I..."
Lan Shuyan didn't want to hear anything he said. She slapped him hard across the face and glared at him angrily: "You've made me lose face like this!"
Song San covered his face in disbelief, never expecting Lan Shuyan to take action so directly.
The Song family members were also shocked. No matter what, it was a very serious matter that the young master had been beaten.
Song San wanted to chase after Lan Shuyan, but was surrounded by his family. His anger intensified, and he glared at Zhao Zhenniang angrily: "Are you satisfied now!"
Zhao Zhenniang: ...
The third young master of the Song family seems to have a hard time understanding human language; luckily, she came here in the first place to annul the engagement.
There's a long-standing dispute with the third young master of the Song family, and since Old Master Song is old and stubborn, it's probably impossible to clear things up.
Aside from the kindness of burying her father, the Song family had done her no other favors. She felt it was only right for her to repay them herself. Zhao Zhenniang thought her annulment of the engagement was reasonable, so she handed the money over to the adjutant beside Song Da.
He looked at Young Master Song and said, "I hope your family will accept it."
Song Dawei raised his eyes slightly, looking at a woman seriously for the first time.
It's surprising that a woman from a rural oil mill has such a strong personality.
...
Zhao Zhenniang didn't know whether the Song family had agreed or not. Since they didn't say anything, she took it as an agreement, put down the money, and ran away quickly.
When she went out, she told Uncle Liu to hurry up and pedal, and soon he caught up with Zhang Ying and Lan Shuyan who were walking.
Zhao Zhenniang quickly had the car stop and chased after them, calling out, "Teacher Zhang! Miss Lan!"
What's more humiliating than being humiliated by someone is being humiliated in front of someone you know.
Upon hearing this, Lan Shuyan quickened her pace.
But today, for her date, she wore a stylish cotton dress with white wedge sandals.
These shoes may look nice, but they're not designed for walking. If you pull too hard, the shoelaces will come undone.
Seeing Zhao Zhenniang approaching, and her detached sandals, Lan Shuyan finally couldn't hold back anymore.
Didn't she check the almanac before going out today?
Lan Shuyan cried all the way. When she arrived at the store, she tried her best to wipe away her tears so as not to arouse suspicion.
When the shopkeepers saw Zhao Zhenniang return, they immediately rushed over and asked, "How did it go?"
Zhao Zhenniang smiled and nodded: "I'll take it."
The people in the shop breathed a sigh of relief; their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, could finally be put at ease, and they could now pursue their business with even less restraint!
After congratulating each other, they noticed Lan Shuyan and Zhang Ying behind them and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Teacher Zhang, Miss Lan, what brings you here too?"
Lan Shuyan: ...
Fortunately, Zhao Zhenniang acted normally, saying as usual, "I met Miss Lan on the road. Her shoes are broken. Does anyone have time to fix them for her?"
Zhang Ying was responsible for teaching the people in the shop to read. Although Lan Shuyan didn't come often, she frequently lent them her books, told them interesting stories, and even inserted soft advertisements for sesame oil into her novels.
The people in the shop were very grateful to the two women, and upon hearing this, someone immediately volunteered to take the broken shoes to the shoemaker.
Seeing the shop assistants as enthusiastic as ever, Lan Shuyan's bitter heart finally calmed down.
He said dejectedly, "Thank you... and I'm sorry."
Zhao Zhenniang poured her a cup of hot tea: "It's alright, I was just going to break off the engagement anyway, I don't like him."
Lan Shuyan: ...
Everyone else went to annul their engagements, but she went to collect garbage. How tragic!
Because of this sad story, the atmosphere became sad again. Lan Shuyan was extremely heartbroken and could write another sad novel when she got back.
Seeing how heartbroken she was, Zhao Zhenniang briefly explained the origins of her marriage to the Song family.
Lan Shuyan, who had been crying very sadly, paused after hearing this: "You mean your father saved his father, and then his father repaid you with a childhood betrothal between you and him?"
Zhao Zhenniang nodded: "Yes, the Song family is a prominent and wealthy family. It is an honor for our family that Master Song would allow his son to marry me."
Lan Shuyan: ...
"So it turns out that not only must one repay a life-saving debt with one's body, but one must also repay a debt of saving another person with one's body?"
Zhao Zhenniang and Zhang Ying looked up in confusion.
Lan Shuyan not only read books but also wrote them. In those days, she was considered a high-intensity surfer. Her jokes were quite novel, which Zhao Zhenniang and Zhang Ying couldn't understand.
Lan Shuyan was taken aback, then said in despair, "Fine, come with me to see a movie."
She got up early today to get ready for meeting her parents, and it would feel like a waste not to do something with all that effort...
The three of them not only watched a movie, but also took a group photo.
Lan Shuyan's father and brothers all have stable jobs, and she also receives royalties, so she doesn't hesitate to spend money and generously treats everyone to a meal.
Although Zhao Zhenniang was wealthy, she was rather conservative by nature, and this was the first time she had ever experienced such a new form of entertainment.
I was very nervous before coming, but after the movie started, I couldn't help but laugh along with the funny plot.
Zhao Zhenniang's eyes widened. So this is what movies are like! She said she would bring her godmother, her third aunt, and her second sister to watch sometime.
Even if they were goddesses, they probably had never seen such a foreign contraption before.
Zhao Zhenniang was full of anticipation when she suddenly realized something.
By the way, why aren't my third aunt and second sister wearing anything today?
...
It wasn't that they weren't online; rather, the consciousnesses of the third aunt and the second sister were currently suspended above Zhao Zhenniang's consciousness.
Jian Yu'an used to take over Zhao Zhenniang's body early in the morning, but he couldn't do so this morning.
With the mourning period over and the wedding date approaching, not only Zhao Zhenniang was anxious, but Jian Yu'an was also anxious.
She shares a body with another time traveler. Although their relationship is bumpy, they can still cooperate. Now, however, they are facing a huge test.
Business strategies can be compromised and negotiated, but how can you negotiate something like marriage?
If it were just one person enjoying the body alone, Jian Yu'an actually had a rather dishonorable thought in his mind.
The reason it's considered dishonorable is that you can only do it secretly, without any audience present.
Now, with such a large audience watching him constantly, and being from the same hometown, Jian Yu'an couldn't bring himself to say it.
So the note that hadn't been used for a long time came online again, and Jian Yu'an carefully asked his roommate for advice: What should be done about Zhao Zhenniang's marriage?
The other party replied without hesitation: Cancel it.
Jian Yu'an: ...
She wasn't surprised by her roommate's reply, but the matter wasn't that simple.
Regardless of whether the marriage with the Song family could be called off, she actually felt that Zhao Zhenniang marrying into the Song family was not a bad outcome.
Of course, don't get me wrong, the person she said she married was definitely not Song San.
Song San was, of course, an irreplaceable piece of trash, and she didn't even want to bother with him.
But the eldest son of the Song family is actually a pretty good person, isn't he? Maybe we should consider him.
Ye Xiqing replied with six dots: Isn't Boss Song about to kick the bucket? Do you like being a widow?
Jian Yu'an immediately replied: We can save him from dying!
The original TV series in this world is an old series. Literary creations of that period were influenced by certain works, and if the male and female protagonists were born into a large family, the author would usually arrange for the family to decline.
One gives people a heavier sense of history, and the other makes the love between the male and female protagonists more steadfast and touching as it is tempered in the midst of turmoil.
So in the end, Song Da died, and the Song family collapsed.
The intention is good, but who doesn't imagine the main characters and even the minor characters on the sidelines when watching a TV series?
Viewers actually prefer the exhilarating feeling of the wealthy family's extravagant lifestyle in the early stages. The forced elevation of the story to a higher level in the later stages not only fails to provide any educational value but also makes the audience feel sorry for the protagonist's loss of wealth.
Ordinary people have never experienced the pleasures of the rich, but they have truly experienced the suffering of the poor. Who would have thought that after finally enjoying a moment of pleasure in a story, they would go bankrupt.
Fan fiction aims to make up for the regrets of the original work, but for the audience, the biggest regret may not be the protagonist's tragic love story, but the downfall of the protagonist's family.
If two people are in love, so be it; they can't lose their money, they need to save their family business!
Young Master Song, who directly caused the downfall of the Song family, is naturally the most common character to be saved in fan fiction.
When Jian Yu'an first transmigrated, she also had the idea of keeping Boss Song alive, and she wasn't just doing it for herself.
Saving the Song family not only improves my own life, but also allows me to do more meaningful things.
Even if they go into business now, they can only make a little money. But by using Song Da's military power, they can extend their influence much further.
If you traveled to this era, who wouldn't have a sense of national responsibility?
They possess so much advanced knowledge; they should do something beneficial for this era!
Ye Xiqing: ...
So you're quite patriotic.
Ye Xiqing was moved by her roommate's sentimentality and immediately upgraded her access permissions.
From then on, Jian Yu'an could also enjoy the same advantageous geographical location for watching movies and achieve enlightenment.
As for controlling the body, forget about it. If we hand over control of the body to her, the three of them will have no trouble getting by.
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