Chapter 015: Trusting You Once More

On ordinary days when people argue, Ji Xiulan would not even leave her room, lest it tarnish her "deep-boudoir lady" like reputation. She believed that quarreling was something that only rural women would do.

But today, when she saw the fire was about to burn her, her true nature was immediately exposed. Her sharp and mean appearance truly showed that she was Lady Ding's own daughter.

Almost putting her hands on her hips, Ji Xiulan scolded, "What does this marriage have to do with me? Ji Xinhe, don't you slander me and ruin my innocence! You should just accept the marriage and feel honored to marry Porky San! Are you using me as a shield?"

Xiao Bei loudly and impolitely said, "My brother and sister heard it too! Our mom said the wedding was for Sister Xiulan! Why are you saying it's for my sister now!?"

"You!"

Ji Xinhe coldly snorted, "That's right. When this marriage was settled, the most important thing was exchanging the Geng Tie. I still have mine. Porky San said that the marriage has been settled and only Sister Xiulan's Geng Tie is with mom. It must have been given already, right?"

Looking anxiously at Lady Ding, Ji Xiulan heard Lady Ding immediately say, "I didn't give it! When did I give it? This wedding was just verbally agreed upon. It was supposed to be discussed with your father and then the Geng Tie would be sent to the Zhang Family."@Setter.setter_callback

If it weren't for the fact that Ji Dong had kept Ji Xinhe's Geng Tie, Lady Ding wouldn't have cared about her life and death. She would have simply sent her to the Zhang Family.

Only then did Ji Xinhe say, "Luckily it was only verbally agreed upon. I see that Sister Xiulan is unwilling. Perhaps she doesn't want to get married. It's better if Mom quickly returns the money and cancels the marriage. It would also save Sister Xiulan from feeling wronged in the future."

Lady Ding was almost furious to the point of madness, "Stop your nonsense! Porky San's wedding is yours!"

"Because Mom said it's mine, it's mine? Mom didn't exchange the Geng Tie, didn't tell my dad, and didn't inform me. Now all you have is the twenty liang of silver from Porky San, and you're saying I'm his wife? Mom, this is not marrying me off, it's selling me off!" Ji Xinhe sneered.

Upon hearing this, the villagers couldn't help but discuss amongst themselves.

Lady Ding's face turned pale, "What selling or not selling? In marriage matters, parents' orders and matchmaker's words are what matter! Are you a naive little girl saying nonsense here?"

"Mom said it's a marriage issue. Of course, I have to obey. But this is not a marriage issue. The marriage is not settled, the Geng Tie is not exchanged, and there's nothing. It's just that Mom personally owes Porky San twenty liang of silver. This is a financial dispute. It's only natural for a mother to repay her debts. If you're really too poor to exchange the money, selling your daughter to repay the debt is not impossible. After all, I am the daughter of the Ji family. If Mom wants to sell me, what else can I say?"

While talking, Ji Xinhe turned to Ji Dashan and said, "Dad, I am unfilial. I haven't been able to serve you and mom well for the past fifteen years. Now that our family has taken the twenty liang of silver from Porky San's family and can't return it, Mom insists on selling me to him, and I have no choice but to obey. From now on, I can't be filial to you. In a few days, it will be my mom's death anniversary. I hope you can light a stick of incense for me at my mom's grave, so I can fulfill my filial piety."

Ji Dashan felt ashamed and was almost unable to speak. The excellent marriage that Lady Ding initially talked about was twisted into an ugly issue of selling daughters by Ji Xinhe's few words.

The villagers couldn't help but feel indignant, "Old Ji, your family is not considered poor to that extent! How could you even do such a thing as selling your daughter? Xinhe is such a well-behaved girl, how could you bear it?"

"That's right! You can't erase your conscience just for twenty liang of silver!"

"Pay back the money you owe! If you don't want to repay, you use your daughter to settle the debt! What kind of thing is this? It's not like you're truly poor and can't afford to eat!"

Lady Ding's face turned red like a pig's liver. At this moment, she realized that she had been played by this girl.

Ji Xinhe helplessly said, "Everyone, don't say anymore. My mom owes Porky San money and can't repay it. There's nothing she can do."

"That, that's not about owing money at all! That's obviously the betrothal gift money!" Lady Ding said angrily and bitterly.

Porky San was getting annoyed by the commotion and shouted, "Don't try to fool me! I don't care who it is. Either marry a daughter or return the money! Otherwise, do you really think I'm a fool to be played with?"

Ji Xinhe sneered and looked at Ji Dashan, wanting to see if he had the face to publicly say that he would sell his daughter to pay off the debt.

Xiao Bei suddenly burst into tears, "My sister's head bandage has not been removed, yet she forced herself to get up and work because she was worried about our family's chores. Now, Dad is going to sell my sister for the twenty liang of silver that Stepmother borrowed privately. If my birth mother were alive, I don't know how heartbroken she would be. In a few days, it will be our mom's death anniversary. It's better for Xiao Bei to die and go to the afterlife to tell my mom about the suffering my sister is enduring, so she can protect her. Otherwise, how can my sister live on!"

Ji Dashan felt guilty. The key issue was that there were so many outsiders watching that, if he really agreed to sell his daughter at this moment, he would be ridiculed in the future. He turned to Lady Ding and said, "You better return the money. We'll talk about this later..."

Lady Ding was infuriated to death. She really wanted to slap Ji Dashan to death right then, but couldn't say anything cruel in front of so many people. She had to swallow her pride, "Well, since the marriage is not happening, I'll return the money."

Porky San was also furious, "Where's the money!?"

Not only did his marriage fall through this time, but he was also lectured by Ji Xinhe and almost lost his manhood. How could he tolerate this anger? But he didn't dare to expose the collusion; otherwise, he would be brought to the government office, which was the thing common people feared the most.

Lady Ding stepped forward and said with a smile, "I can't get the money right now. Let's wait until next time."

All the money had been spent on herself, Xiulan, and her son for clothes and jewelry. There was nothing left, and Lady Ding never intended to repay it.

But Porky San was not easy to fool, glaring menacingly.

However, Lady Ding quickly approached him and whispered, "Don't worry, I will definitely get Ji Xinhe to marry you. Tonight, I will make this happen!"

Porky San gave her a suspicious look, but seeing Lady Ding's confident expression, he was somewhat convinced. Compared to the twenty liang of silver, he naturally wanted to marry a wife even more. With his bad reputation, only someone like Lady Ding, who would mistreat her stepdaughter, would be willing to marry off her daughter. Ordinary families would not marry their daughters even for thirty liang of silver.

More importantly, Ji Xinhe had already annoyed him! He had a grudge in his heart and was determined to marry this girl back to teach her a good lesson!

Once he thought of this, Porky San's eyes ignited with anger and he gritted his teeth, "Then I'll trust you one more time!"