Holding Her Head High
To everyone's astonishment, the Liu Family really did make a formal proposal to Su Meixiang, following every tradition to the letter. The betrothal gifts were so plentiful that the Su family's courtyard was nearly overflowing.
Haizi Village was thrown into a frenzy. Who could've imagined that Su Meixiang, a woman whose reputation was ruined, would end up marrying into the powerful Liu Family from Qingmiao City?
Gossip boiled over in the village. Many women were indignant—how could a 'fallen woman' like Su Meixiang become the legitimate wife of the Liu Family? Were the Lius blind?
The most jealous of all was, of course, Su Meixiang's sister-in-law, Liu Ru. Watching Su Meixiang climb the social ladder made her unbearably sour. She remembered how, when she tried to rise above her station, she was tricked into becoming a village wife. But now, Su Meixiang—once disgraced—was marrying into the illustrious Liu Family as a proper wife!
Liu Ru was bitter but didn’t dare offend her sister-in-law. Instead, she plotted to cozy up to Su Meixiang, hoping to benefit.
Su Meixiang could finally hold her head high, instantly becoming the person everyone in the Su family wanted to ingratiate themselves with. Old Madam Su was all smiles whenever she saw Su Meixiang, endlessly praising her granddaughter’s good fortune.
Madam Zhao was so happy she could barely close her mouth, fussing over her daughter all day—arranging embroideries for the dowry, making every kind of delicious dish.
"Meixiang, what do you want to eat today? Should I make you some meat?" Madam Zhao looked at her daughter with delight.
Su Meixiang sat at her dressing table, casting a haughty glance at Madam Zhao. "Meat? Mother, don’t you know that city ladies all prize being slim? Are you trying to make me lose favor with my future husband?"
Madam Zhao waved her hand. "Meixiang, what are you saying? How could I harm you? I just don’t know these things."
Su Meixiang snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ignorant village woman."
Madam Zhao’s face fell. She awkwardly rubbed her hands together and slipped into the kitchen, racking her brains over what tasty dish to make for her daughter.
Watching Madam Zhao’s retreating back, Su Meixiang spat viciously: "When I was kicked out of the house, none of you bothered to bring me back. Now that I’ve clawed my way to wealth on my own, you’re all scrambling to flatter me! Hmph! Mother, when I was at my lowest, you only gave me a few black-faced buns. If I become rich and powerful, don’t blame me for being ruthless!"
Outside the door, Liu Ru shoved Su Shimao hard. "Husband, your sister is about to get married. You two should have a proper talk!"
Su Shimao’s face was ashen. He’d been avoiding Liu Ru, only to be tricked into coming home by the Su family under the pretense of Old Madam Su’s illness. But as soon as he returned, Liu Ru kept pushing him to curry favor with Su Meixiang.
Su Shimao glared fiercely at Liu Ru. "Shameless! If you want to talk, go yourself!"
With that, he flung his sleeve and strode off.
It hadn’t been easy to trick Su Shimao back home, and Liu Ru wasn’t about to let him go. She clung desperately to his sleeve, her belly sticking out, and shouted, "You penniless scholar, what are you so proud of? If you won’t think of yourself, at least think of the child in my belly! Our family is already so poor—what’s the use of your scholar’s airs? Can you trade them for food or drink? Now that your sister is marrying into wealth, if you don’t go flatter her, she’ll forget all about you once she’s gone! You Su family people are all short-sighted—first you chased away Su Li who could’ve made us rich, then you drove off big boss Yuan, and now, just when we’ve got another money tree, if you don’t cling to it, I’ll hang myself at the doorstep with my pregnant belly!"