Si Nian didn't like it.
Even after switching to Lin Sisi, she still didn't like it.
She had never seen someone so picky.
Si Family.
Lin Sisi also learned about Si Nian's upcoming wedding from Liu Dong.
In the past, she would have been overjoyed.
But now, she couldn't muster even a hint of a smile.
Zhou Yueshen had actually given Si Nian a betrothal gift of eight thousand yuan and half a pig!
The news was like a slap to her face!
She was the true city girl, and her education wasn’t worse than Si Nian’s!
She hadn’t taken those three thousand yuan because she needed the money—she just didn’t want Si Nian to have it!
Lin Sisi knew the Lin parents too well. Out of guilt, they might just hand over the entire betrothal gift to Si Nian.
Besides, Zhou Yueshen had initially taken a liking to her. Taking that money was only fair.
Why should Si Nian get to keep it?
Wasn’t this just compensation for the eighteen years of luxury Si Nian had stolen from her?
Yet, Zhou Yueshen had gone and given Si Nian another eight thousand eight hundred yuan on top of the three thousand!
Wasn’t this a blatant humiliation?
The villagers were probably laughing at her now, whispering behind her back about how Lin Sisi couldn’t compare to Si Nian.
The man she once believed would never treat a woman well was now showering another woman—one she despised—with such special treatment.
Lin Sisi felt as if she had swallowed a fly.
What stung even more was that Si Nian had spent less time with Zhou Yueshen than she had with Fu Yang.
Yet Si Nian had already gotten Zhou Yueshen to go this far.
Meanwhile, Fu Yang still treated her with indifference.
Their wedding date remained undecided!
Now, rumors were spreading in the compound that Fu Yang didn’t even want her...
"Si Si, get ready. Tomorrow, we’re going to the countryside to attend Nian Nian’s wedding."
Lin Sisi looked at her parents, who had just returned home with grim expressions, and gasped. "Mom, Dad, how did you know? I was just about to tell you."
"We ran into Auntie Fu on the way. She mentioned it."
Originally, the Si Family had no intention of attending their adopted daughter’s wedding. But since the Fu Family had brought it up, skipping it would make them seem heartless.
They couldn’t help but resent Si Nian—why did she have to make such a fuss about marrying some country bumpkin? Wasn’t she embarrassed?
Judging by her parents’ sour expressions, they probably wouldn’t have gone if the Fu Family hadn’t mentioned it.
After all, from what they’d seen so far, the Si Family looked down on Zhou Yueshen and even found him disgraceful.
But how did the Fu Family know about it?
Was it Fu Qianqian?
Lin Sisi frowned but agreed.
Tomorrow, the wedding would be packed with guests. She would make sure everyone saw that she, the true heiress, hadn’t backed out—Zhou Yueshen simply wasn’t good enough for her!
From the second-floor maid’s room, Liu Dong watched the family leave, her eyes flickering with thought. Then she stepped into the kitchen, picked up an exquisite lunchbox, and headed straight for the Fu Family’s residence.
Happiness Village.
October 1st—the liveliest day the village had seen in a long time.
Zhou Yueshen and Si Nian hadn’t planned a grand celebration, but the turnout was unexpectedly huge.
Now, they had no choice but to go all out.
Outside the Zhou Family’s gate, villagers in aprons crowded around, eager to help.
Some washed vegetables, others arranged dishes, while a few tended to the roaring fire beneath the massive steamer. The rich aroma of rice filled the courtyard.
The big yellow dog, Da Huang, dozed lazily in its cage—kept there to prevent it from accidentally harming the swarm of children running around.
Five little white rabbits nestled against its soft belly, paws tucked in as they slept.
Zhou Zehan had named them Xiao Yi to Xiao Wu.
After spending so much time together, the rabbits had come to see Da Huang as their mother.
Now accustomed to human presence, they barely lifted an eyelid at the commotion outside, unfazed by Xiao Lao Er’s daily chatter and doting attention.
Upstairs, Xiao Lao Er had woken up early, taken a bath, and put on the new clothes his grandmother had brought over the day before—a brown overall paired with a white shirt and a matching cap.
He twirled in front of the mirror, admiring himself. "Gege, Gege, doesn’t this look good on me?" he asked as Zhou Zedong walked in.
The brothers wore identical outfits, but Zhou Zedong, though taller, was leaner. The clothes gave him a serious, scholarly air, while Xiao Lao Er looked adorably mischievous.
Zhou Zedong studied him for a moment before nodding. "It looks good."
Then, without expression, he woke their little sister, Yaoyao, and dressed her in a red dress.
He carefully tied her hair into two little buns, securing them with red bows. The toddler, plump and rosy-cheeked, looked like a porcelain doll in her festive outfit—absolutely precious.
Yaoyao had been eating well, growing quickly. Her round face now had a hint of a double chin.
Zhou Zedong stared for a long moment.
The memory of his sister once being frail and filthy seemed like nothing more than a bad dream...
Snapping out of it, he efficiently prepared her milk, fed her, then made rice porridge. After instructing his brother to eat on his own, he fed Yaoyao, handed her over to Xiao Lao Er, and went to tend to Da Huang and the rabbits...
Si Nian had returned home the night before, and their father was busy.
So, the responsibility of caring for his siblings and the animals fell on him.
As he moved about, he straightened anything out of place, drawing impressed murmurs from onlookers.
Only then did he finally sit down to eat his own meal in silence.
Meanwhile, at the Lin Family home.
Si Nian had been woken up early by her mother.
In their village, wedding banquets were held early at the bride’s family home, with the groom’s side hosting lunch.
So, preparations had to start at dawn.
The groom’s party would arrive early too.
In rural areas, brides rarely hired makeup artists. Those with limited means simply wore red and called it a day.
But every other detail was meticulously arranged—hair combed, body scrubbed, perfume dabbed.
Those who could afford it might dust on some rouge.
Si Nian had seen period dramas depicting countryside weddings, where brides went bare-faced.
Not wanting to stand out too much, she kept it simple.
Her wedding dress had been hand-sewn by her mother and sister-in-law, Zhou Suisui—tailored to fit her perfectly.
The vibrant red fabric could easily make darker skin tones look dull, but on Si Nian’s fair complexion, it only made her glow.
Her mother styled her hair in an intricate updo, a skill passed down from older generations.
Adorned with red beaded flowers, the look was far from tacky—it was stunning.
Si Nian lightly filled in her brows and dabbed on lipstick.
Without it, her features would have washed out against the bold red.
With her hair elegantly pinned and makeup accentuating her beauty, she looked radiant.
Lin's mother stared in awe, as if seeing a reflection of her younger self.
