Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“I’m not getting married! Dad wants my older sister, not me, to get married! I don’t want to marry that old man Jiang!”
When Gu Xiang arrived home in the evening and headed upstairs, she could hear Meng Yan and her mother, Li Jiayin, speaking.
Her mother tried her best to convince her sister. “Jiang family is well to do. If you marry into the family, you’ll be enjoying a comfortable life! If your sister gets married instead, you’ll regret it in the future! I’ve been keeping it a secret from her and haven’t told her yet.”
When Gu Xiang heard this, her mouth twisted into a bitter smile. Her mother had not changed after all these years. She still only thought of Meng Yan as her daughter.
Yet, Meng Yan could not fathom her good intentions as she harrumphed, “I don’t want to. I’m still young so I don’t want to get married. If Gu Xiang wants, let her have him instead! Although the Jiang family is well to do, have you thought about why they want Gu Xiang?”
Li Jiayin was taken aback when she heard the girl’s words. “Why?”
Meng Yan whispered, “I heard from others that that old man brings misfortune to his wives. His previous fiancés all passed away because of him! Mom, if you want me to marry him, aren’t you really wishing for my death?”
Upon hearing this, Li Jiayin did not sound as firm as earlier. “Where did you hear this from? There’s such a thing?”
“My friend is close to the Jiang family. Why wouldn’t she know about the Jiang family’s matters? If he weren’t cursed why would the old man not get a wife when the family is so well to do? Why would they look for our family? And even favor Gu Xiang?” Meng Yan continued to speak, “Don’t ever let Gu Xiang find out about this! If she finds out about this, she won’t want to marry him!”
When Li Jiayin heard Meng Yan’s words, she changed her mind instantly. “Alright, when your sister comes back I’ll let her know.”
“Dad always favored Gu Xiang. Now that something has happened to the family, it’s time for Gu Xiang to do her duty.”
Gu Xiang stood outside the door. Even if she could not see Meng Yan, she could imagine Meng Yan making merry over her misfortune. Meng Yan and her were half sisters from the same mother. After her parents’ divorce, her mother remarried to Uncle Meng and gave birth to Meng Yan. Gu Xiang had been living with her father since. However, her father passed away in an accident so Gu Xiang moved to the Mengs’ place and lived here with her mother.
She remembered her mother treating her quite well before her parents’ divorce. Yet, when she arrived at the Meng residence, she realized that her mother considered her an outsider after only a few years apart. To her Meng Yan was her only daughter.
Her mother would always plan things for Meng Yan and was biased towards her. Gu Xiang sometimes doubted if she was her mother’s biological daughter.
On the contrary, Uncle Meng was pretty good to her. Meng Yan disliked her because of this.
…
Gu Xiang returned to her room and changed into her home wear. Li Jiayin entered her room and said, “You’re back! Why didn’t you say?”
Gu Xiang responded tepidly, “I saw that you were busy so I didn’t want to bother you.”
Li Jiayin froze for a moment. Gu Xiang seemed to be getting more cold and detached. She rarely spoke, which made it difficult to know what she was thinking.
This made her uncomfortable.
She became more cautious when speaking to Gu Xiang. “Oh right, you’re not young anymore. Your Uncle Meng has a blind date for you.”
Thinking about the conversation that Li Jiayin and Meng Yan had earlier, Gu Xiang felt a chill in her heart.
“Not interested.” She rejected them outright.