Chuxia didn’t expect that the Li Family was just in the neighboring village, yet they arrived even later than the Qin Family.
In her previous life, the Li Family arrived late because they had gone to borrow the bride price of three hundred yuan, which was no small sum for them, and they only managed to gather it on the day of the engagement.
In this life, even though Lin Jiayi asked for only eighty yuan as the bride price, they still arrived much later, showing that her difficult and stingy mother-in-law was not just harsh on her.
Besides this, the engagement went smoothly. Besides the three hundred yuan, the Qin Family also gave six yards of cloth, and the Li Family gave cloth as well—eight yards, which made Lin Jiayi quite smug.
Chuxia knew the reality, after all, three hundred had become eighty. Even if they gave a few more yards of cloth, the Li Family had still made a good bargain.
The wedding day arrived in a blink of an eye. According to local custom, the bride’s family hosts relatives and friends the day before the wedding, and that day was quite lively for the Lin Family.
With two daughters getting married, even though grandiose wedding banquets weren’t trendy in this era, the Lin Family still set up several tables.
In the evening, after the last group of guests had left, Mother Lin gathered the family together.
“Tomorrow’s arrangements are set by your father and me. The Li Family is closer, so we’ll send Jiayi off first. Lin Chu, you stay home honestly and wait. After sending your elder sister off, we’ll send you off. Don’t worry about anything else; we’ve asked the Qin Family to come a bit later so both can proceed without delay.”
When their daughter gets married here, the bride’s family generally doesn’t follow to the groom’s place; they just send the bride off from home.
There are also families who show their regard for their daughter by accompanying her to the groom’s family to visit, known as ‘walking the new kin.’ Mother Lin meant that she would go with the elder daughter to the Li Family for a visit.
Lin Jiayi was the first to state, “I’ll listen to mom.”
Chuxia also nodded, “Okay.”
In her previous life, it was also Lin Jiayi who left home first. Mom said the Qin Family was far, so let the elder sister leave first.
Then when the Li Family came to welcome the bride, she was the only bride at home, awkwardly waiting until the afternoon when her parents returned, exhausted from shouting and running around half the day, only to have her follow the Li Family’s people.
It was precisely because of this that she was looked down upon by her husband’s family even before she was married. If not for her accommodating nature which left her mother-in-law no faults to pick, and convincing Guang Yuan to start a business which showed real benefits to the Li Family, one can only imagine how difficult her life would have been.
Recalling her thoughts and listening to Mother Lin ramble on for a while, she then returned to her room to sleep.
Lin Jiayi was in a good mood, holding the new clothes she would wear the next day and trying them on repeatedly, then asking Chuxia, “Which outfit do you think looks better on me? Ready-made clothes are all similar, wearing them makes no big difference. It’s not as good as the ones you make yourself, they fit better to the heart. I’m just too clumsy with my hands; I can only have mom buy ready-made clothes from department stores. If I had your skills, I wouldn’t need to buy two outfits at once; I could just make them whenever I wanted.”
Though she said so, her demeanor showed off rather than envied.
Chuxia yawned, “Mom thinks ahead. She knows it won’t be easy for you to buy new clothes once you’re married to the Li Family, so she bought a couple more outfits now. Who knows when you’ll get new clothes again? In my opinion, you should also hurry and have mom make new clothes from that cloth for you, otherwise, there might not be any left for you in the future.”
Tomorrow was the wedding day, and considering that in this life she didn’t have to marry Guang Yuan, Chuxia kindly reminded Lin Jiayi.
Guang Yuan has two sisters, and neither of them are easy to deal with.
Lin Jiayi didn’t think Chuxia was being kind; the lighter Chuxia spoke, the more Jiayi felt she was just jealous.
What did she mean by ‘nothing left for her’?
Her dowry was hers to decide, how could there be nothing left for her?
Wanting to say more, but seeing that the other had already closed her eyes, she snorted coldly and continued trying on new clothes.
Chuxia was awakened by a burst of noisy sounds, it was still dark outside, but the household was already busy.
Lin Jiayi had already gotten up and was getting dressed, wearing a red and purple plaid coat, which somewhat resembled the one that Lin Chuxia had made.
Lin Chuxia also picked up her new clothes to change into. Just as Lin Jiayi, who had finished combing her hair, turned her head, she saw Lin Chuxia in her new clothes and was stunned.
Throughout the years, her younger sister had never worn a new piece of clothing. Being the eldest in the family, new clothes were naturally bought according to her size, and they would just be passed down to her younger sister once she outgrew them.
In her memory, her younger sister had always been skinny and scruffy. Surprisingly, wearing new clothes made her look slim but not shabby, and even her hair, which had always been frizzy, now looked smooth. Was it the red plaid outfit that flattered her?
Lin Jiayi glanced at herself in the mirror, then turned to look at Lin Chuxia again.
The former looked no different, her face even a bit dark, while the latter appeared rosy-cheeked with white teeth, her hair glossy and black, and her skin noticeably whiter.
She couldn’t help but frown.
She was most jealous of Lin Chuxia’s fair skin. Born from the same parents, somehow she ended up with fair skin that wouldn’t tan no matter how much sun exposure she got, unlike herself, who couldn’t lighten her complexion no matter how hard she tried.
“You go change your clothes, and you are not allowed to wear this one.”
Lin Jiayi said irritably.
Lin Chuxia didn’t even glance her way, “Sorry, this is the only one I have, if someone needs to change, it should be you.”
Lin Jiayi grew frantic, “If you don’t change, I will call mom.”
“What do you need mom for? To say we are wearing the same clothes, and I look better than you? Are you afraid that Li Guangyuan will see me and regret the marriage swap?”
“You’re talking nonsense,” Lin Jiayi would never admit that Lin Chuxia indeed looked prettier than her at this moment.
Living together all these years, Lin Jiayi had never thought Lin Chuxia was pretty. Now, to have more than twenty years of believing she was the prettiest in the family nearly overturned.
She had the confidence for a marriage swap because she believed she was prettier than Lin Chuxia. Even if Li Guangyuan saw them both at the same time, he would definitely prefer her. Once the marriage arrangements were swapped, she would surely have a better life than Lin Chuxia, and win Li Guangyuan’s heart completely.
How could she allow Lin Chuxia to become prettier than her?
Lin Chuxia scoffed, “You’re overthinking it. I’m a bride-to-be and it’s inappropriate for me to be seen. What does it matter what I wear? It’s not like we are actually going out together.”
Lin Jiayi thought about it and realized that was true, all confused by this damn girl’s antics, “Fine then, but remember, you can’t go out. If you ruin my good fortune, I won’t let it go, and neither will mom.”
“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t go out even if you asked me to.”
If possible, she never wanted to see that hypocritical man again in her lifetime.
Hearing her say this, Lin Jiayi still felt uneasy and asked Mother Lin to remind Lin Chuxia again.
Soon, neighbors and folks close to the Lin Family also came to join the hustle, and Sun Lanlan arrived as well.
Hearing that Lin Jiayi was to leave the house first, Sun Lanlan patted her chest and said she would accompany her and watch her get married, just like in their previous life.
Lin Chuxia was deeply touched, “Lanlan, you are so kind. Make sure to tell me when you find someone, I’ll vet them for you. On your wedding day, I will accompany you too,” she thought firmly not to let her marry that scoundrel again.
Sun Lanlan graciously agreed.
As the two chatted, the atmosphere outside warmed up, fireworks were set off, and the Li Family’s wedding procession arrived.