Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
In a blink of an eye, it was already afternoon. Peach Blossom Town was extremely clear with birds chirping and flowers blooming everywhere.
Chu Wei carried the bamboo basket and walked all the way to the west side of the town. She planned to go back to her mother’s house to take a look and sell all the mushrooms in the bamboo basket in exchange for some money to supplement expenses.
Compared to the women in the town, she was the one who could earn the most money and take hardships. There are some savings from the monthly allowance her husband sent her, and she could also make a living by selling mountain goods.
Not long after, she bumped into her sister-in-law, Zhao Jinli. Upon seeing her, Zhao Jinli hurriedly asked, “Are you going to sell mushrooms again?”
Chu Wei ignored her and walked straight ahead. Her eyebrows were filled with disgust. This sister-in-law’s acting skills were really not good. She was still complaining about low blood sugar just now. Now, she was full of energy and her eyes were shining. She did not look like she was in poor health.
“Chu Wei, have you heard? Ding Shujuan from the Ding family’s wine shop is going on a blind date today. The blind date is with a middle-aged man who has lost his wife. She will become a stepmother before he marries her,” Zhao Jinli gloated.
Chu Wei stopped in her tracks. At the mention of Ding Shujuan’s blind date, she thought of another dream. In that dream, Ding Shujuan was the protagonist. She was also the one who went on blind dates and married a man who had lost his wife. This man had a very high status and seemed to be a middle management leader in the army.
When she thought of this, Chu Wei felt an inexplicable excitement in her heart. She did not expect that those dreams would become reality one day. However, the dreams of others had come true. What did it have to do with her? It was more important to hurry to her parental home.
During this period of time, the younger daughter, Chen Ying, had been living with her grandmother. She was different from the elder daughter, Chen Yan. Chen Ying had been naughty since she was young and no one could control her. In order to make her obedient and behave like a girl, Chu Wei disciplined her a lot. However, Chen Ying was a mischievous child and knew that she would not get beaten up if she stayed at her granny’s home.
Every time she saw Chu Wei, Chen Ying would run away without another word.
Seeing that Chu Wei was still ignoring her, Zhao Jinli snorted coldly and ran all the way to the Ding Family’s wine shop. She loved to join in on the fun.
Along the way, she heard a lot of people talking about Ding Shujuan’s blind date. She couldn’t help but think of this person she seemed to be connected to by fate. In the entire town, only the two of them were born on the same day, month, and year. Moreover, both their fathers never came back after they went to the city to earn money.
If she was said to be the most beautiful woman in one part of the town, then Ding Shujuan would be the belle in the other. Hence, the two of them were often compared to each other. People would compare whether they could live a good life or whether they could earn money.
“Heh, it’s all fate. Chu Wei married Chen Ji, and it was already bad enough. I didn’t expect Ding Shujuan to be even worse off than her. I heard that the man who went on a blind date with her is already 40 years old and has three children. His wife has been dead for many years and he is an old bachelor.” An old man who was smoking a dry cigarette sighed.
Another chubby aunt with a birthmark on her face shook her head in pity. “That can’t be helped. That girl, Ding Shujuan, was so proud of herself. She took advantage of her good looks to pick and choose, insisting on finding a high-ranking official. Before she knew it, she had reached 25. If she still doesn’t marry, she’ll rot at home.”
“Looking at it this way, Chu Wei’s life is a little better. The two children are about to go to primary school, and she doesn’t have to be a step-mother or wait on old man.” The old man took a puff and concluded.
Chu Wei ignored everyone’s gazes and walked straight to her mother’s house. She did not like crowds, unlike her sister-in-law, Zhao Jinli. Watching a commotion was one thing, but she was more anxious for Ding Shujuan.
Zhao Jinli was in a hurry to persuade Ding Shujuan not to marry the man because she was naturally jealous and hated people. She laughed at people, was lazy, and hated the rich. All these years, Chu Wei had led a good life and she could not accept it. In addition, Chen Ji, that devil incarnate, had also won glory in the army, which made her feel even more terrible. Therefore, she sincerely hoped that Ding Shujuan would lead a better life than Chu Wei. However, hearing that she was going to marry such a man, she was even more anxious than Ding Shujuan’s mother.
In the Ding Family’s wine shop, one could smell the strong fragrance of wine from far away. Today was an important day, and Ding Shujuan appeared in a splendid outfit. She wore a red pleated skirt, a pair of high heels, and had a head of fluffy curly hair. There was even a layer of fragrant powder on her face, attracting the attention of countless men.
“Shujuan, marriage is the most important thing in one’s life. You’re only 25 years old. Do you really want to marry such a man?” Zhao Jinli moved closer to Ding Shujuan and tried to persuade her. “This man has three children. If you marry him and become a stepmother, you won’t be recognized no matter how well you do. When that happens, you won’t even have a place to cry.”
At the entrance of the Ding family’s wine shop, Ding Shujuan’s biological mother, Li Mingyu, shouted angrily, “Ding Shujuan, you unfilial child. Let me tell you, if you dare to go on a blind date today, I’ll break all ties with you and pretend that I never had a daughter like you.”