My sister broke off her engagement to marry someone richer? My older sister married me and became in

Lin Xiumei sat on the bus to the county town. Every bump in the bus seemed to remind her of the humiliation she had suffered in the Lin family's courtyard the day before.

That glaring scene kept replaying in my mind.

That peasant Lu Qingshan actually managed to come up with so much money.

One hundred and eighty-eight yuan!

A brand-new stack of "big unity" bills made her eyes hurt from the light.

And then there was the gleaming Shanghai brand watch on Lin Xiulan's wrist; its light was sharper than a knife, stabbing at her heart again and again.

On what grounds?

Why is Lin Xiulan, who is so timid and can't even lift her head at home, able to live such a good life?

Those things should have all belonged to her!

Lin Xiumei gritted her teeth so hard they made a grinding sound.

She was not convinced.

What Lu Qingshan can produce, Yu Gaoyang can certainly produce too!

Who is Yu Gaoyang?

That's the son of the deputy director of the food factory, a city dweller who gets a government-subsidized grain ration!

No matter how rich Lu Qingshan is, isn't he still just a country bumpkin with a rustic smell? How can he compare to Yu Gaoyang?

She came to the city today to make Yu Gaoyang earn back twice as much of the pomp and circumstance that Lu Qingshan had given her!

She wanted to show everyone in Hongshitun that Lin Xiumei's judgment was correct!

……

At the entrance of a food factory in the county town.

Lin Xiumei got out of the car and immediately saw Yu Gaoyang, who was arm in arm with several young men, smoking.

As they approached, Yu Gaoyang's true appearance was revealed in the light.

To be fair, Yu Gaoyang's appearance is really not worthy of his fashionable outfit.

He was short and stocky, and his once crisp blue khaki jacket was stretched taut by his round body, making him look like a short, thick water tank covered by a blue cloth bag; his white-edged sneakers were also deformed by his heavy weight.

His already ugly and fleshy face looked even more comical as he proudly boasted about something, his features squeezing together.

But who could blame him when he was the only son of the deputy director of the food factory? In this county town, that one identity alone was enough for him to be the leader among these young people, and enough for Lin Xiumei to suppress her disgust.

Lin Xiumei took a deep breath, a gentle and charming smile instantly spreading across her face. She cleared her throat and called out in a clear, crisp voice, "Gao Yang!"

Yu Gaoyang turned his head and saw Lin Xiumei. A greasy glint flashed in his eyes.

He looked Lin Xiumei up and down, his gaze like a hook, sweeping over her body.

"Hey, isn't this our Xiumei? What brings you to town? Missed your brother?"

He and the other young men around Yu Gaoyang burst into laughter.

Lin Xiumei's face flushed, and she tugged at Yu Gaoyang's sleeve, pulling him aside.

"Stop messing around, I have something important to tell you."

Yu Gaoyang spat out the cigarette butt from his mouth, leaned lazily against the wall, and tried to put his arm around Lin Xiumei's waist.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Lin Xiumei turned away, biting her lip, her face showing a mix of grievance and shyness.

"Gao Yang, what are you planning to do about our situation?"

"When are your parents coming to my house to propose marriage? I... I want a dowry of 188 yuan, and... and a bicycle, a sewing machine, a radio! A watch!"

She blurted out everything that had been on her mind.

The smile on Yu Gaoyang's face vanished instantly.

He seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, paused for a moment, and then suddenly bristled.

"What the hell? One hundred and eighty-eight? And it even includes a three-turn radio and a sewing machine? Lin Xiumei, are you awake yet?"

His voice suddenly rose, and his eyes swept over Lin Xiumei from head to toe with a flippant and sarcastic look.

"You're just a country girl, your parents are peasants, how dare you ask for this price? Do you know how much a bride price is for a city girl? Thirty! That's the most we can offer!"

"If it weren't for the fact that you're reasonably good-looking and have a decent physique, wouldn't it be better for me to spend this money to find a girl with a job in the city?"

Yu Gaoyang's words were like a resounding slap across Lin Xiumei's face.

Her face flushed instantly, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She never expected that the person she had been so eager to rely on would say something even more unpleasant than the gossipy women in the village.

"Yu Gaoyang! You bastard!"

Instead of restraining himself, Yu Gaoyang sneered and spat at him.

"Me, a bastard? Lin Xiumei, you're getting all worked up just because I'm telling you the truth? Let me tell you the truth, my dad doesn't even think much of you! He thinks you're just a country bumpkin and not even worthy of entering our house."

"If I hadn't begged the old man, you wouldn't even have gotten this thirty yuan! And you want a three-wheeled radio and a watch? Keep dreaming!"

Lin Xiumei burst into tears and pounded her fists on Yu Gaoyang's chest.

"If it weren't for you, why would I have broken off my engagement with Lu Qingshan? Now the whole village is laughing at me! My sister, my good-for-nothing sister, is now riding roughshod over me!"

"Lu Qingshan proposed yesterday and gave her a dowry of 188 yuan, plus a watch! Now everyone in Hongshi Village is saying she married well, and that I, Lin Xiumei, was blind!"

"Waaaaah... I can't stand being at home anymore..."

Yu Gaoyang, who had been looking impatient, suddenly understood what was going on after hearing this.

This girl used to be very arrogant. Even though she was dating him, she was extremely wary of him. At most, she would let him hold her hand, but she wouldn't let him touch her at all. She insisted on saving it for their wedding day.

But now, she was crying so hard that her body went limp. Although she was complaining, her fists were weak and she was practically pressed against herself. She was burying herself in his arms with a pitiful expression. This little girl's behavior of asking for his help and acting coquettishly made Yu Gaoyang's heart burn with anger.

Yu Gaoyang was immediately delighted.

Lin Xiumei broke off her engagement with Lu Qingshan and couldn't stay in the village any longer. Besides clinging to herself, who else could she rely on? Now that he's come to her doorstep, she has no way out. The bottom line she's always kept at bay with him is probably about to crumble.

This is a golden opportunity to get her completely done!

Thinking of this, Yu Gaoyang's anger and scheming surged up, and his expression instantly softened. He took the opportunity to grab Lin Xiumei's hand, and the force in his hand changed to a gentle comfort.

He pulled Lin Xiumei into a tight embrace, patting her back and waist gently, and softened his tone, saying, "Alright, alright, don't cry. You'll look ugly if you cry your face down."

His lips came close to Lin Xiumei's ear, and his warm breath made Lin Xiumei shiver.

"A bride price of 188 yuan is not out of the question..."

Lin Xiumei's crying stopped abruptly. She suddenly raised her head, tears still glistening in her eyes, filled with disbelief.

Looking at her like this, Yu Gaoyang's desire intensified.

He tightened his grip on Lin Xiumei's waist, pulling her even closer into his embrace.

"However, there are rules for doing things in the city. You need to show some sincerity first, so that my parents can see that you are one of my people, Yu Gaoyang."

"What sincerity?" Lin Xiumei asked blankly.

Yu Gaoyang's lips curled into a meaningful smile, a smile that concealed undisguised greed.

"As long as you serve me well today, everything about the bride price is negotiable."

"Come on, I'll take you to a great place."

……

Lin Xiumei's mind went blank. Half-heartedly, she was pulled by Yu Gaoyang, and after many twists and turns, they entered a small hotel whose signboard was peeling off.

The room was dimly lit, and the air was filled with a damp, musty smell.

The only piece of furniture was a creaky wooden bed.

A sense of unease welled up in Lin Xiumei's heart, and she wanted to back down.

"Gao Yang, where...where is this?"

Yu Gaoyang had already locked the door and rushed over impatiently, coaxing her incoherently.

"Honey, it's quiet here, no one will bother us..."

The cheap wooden bed groaned under its own weight.

Lin Xiumei closed her eyes, her mind filled with the glittering watch on Lin Xiulan's wrist and the 188 yuan dowry.

Just be patient.

If she just endured it, all of these would be hers.

She will be a city dweller from now on, and the factory director's daughter-in-law.

Once she proudly brings the "three turns and one sound" back to the village, let's see who dares to laugh at her then!

……

After an unknown amount of time, the bed stopped creaking.

Yu Gaoyang climbed off her with satisfaction, put on his pants, and turned his back to her.

Lin Xiumei wrapped herself in the thin, stiff quilt, feeling sticky all over and empty inside.

She watched Yu Gaoyang's retreating figure and asked a question softly.

"Gao Yang, what about... the bride price?"

Yu Gaoyang paused for a moment while fastening his belt, without turning his head.

"Oh, okay, I'll go discuss it."

After uttering those words, he opened the door and walked out, leaving behind a mess and Lin Xiumei alone.

Lin Xiumei lay on the bed in a daze, not moving for a long time.

She didn't cry or make a scene.

She just kept telling herself that.

Yu Gaoyang is just busy; city people are all about doing big things.

Let's talk about it later; there's still room for negotiation.

Yes, that must be it.

Lin Xiumei is about to marry into a wealthy family in the city.

At that moment, her sister Lin Xiulan, who was consumed by jealousy, was carefully sitting on the back of a brand-new Forever brand bicycle.

Lu Qingshan rode his bicycle steadily, the wheels rolling over the smooth asphalt road in the county town.

The afternoon sun shone warmly on her, and Lin Xiulan nervously clutched the hem of Lu Qingshan's clothes at the waist, a beautiful blush rising on her cheeks.

Lu Qingshan's voice came from the front, tinged with laughter.

"Hold on tight, I'm going to take you on a big mission today."