Chapter 214 - 206: Zhong Yuying’s Viciousness
Time flies; in the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Day of 1975. Tian Sisi had already turned 13 and had been here for three years.
The 13-year-old Tian Sisi had shed her baby fat from three years ago. Her tall figure, beautiful and delicate face, and black and shiny hair all proved that she had grown into a beautiful young lady.
Under the meticulous teaching of Zhang Mingliu over the years, Tian Sisi’s temperament surpassed even that of daughters from affluent families. Even lost in a sea of people, one would notice her at first glance, this bright pearl.
A few days ago, an earth-shattering event occurred in Yuequan Village. Zhong Liangcai’s daughter, Zhong Yuying, ran away from her wedding and even stole the dowry of two hundred yuan from the groom’s family, leaving without a trace.
Zhong Liangcai had betrothed Zhong Yuying to a fool in town who was seven or eight years older than her, born mentally challenged and unable to take care of himself, incapable of speaking clearly.
However, this fool came from a wealthy family that offered a dowry of two hundred yuan and four significant gifts. Despite the tempting wealth, many families would rather marry their children to someone of lesser means but normal, rather than to such a fool—that’s even more miserable than being widowed!
But Zhong Liangcai didn’t care. It was just a daughter; if he lost one, he still had another. With the two hundred yuan and four significant gifts, he wouldn’t have to worry about his son’s marriage and would still make a profit of one hundred yuan. What a great deal.
Zhong Yuying left home with the help of her younger sister Zhong Hongying. Zhong Hongying, a tender-hearted girl, helped Zhong Yuying run away on the day she went to town to buy red cloth for a cotton-padded jacket, less than a month before the wedding.
However, Zhong Hongying didn’t know that Zhong Yuying had already stolen the two hundred yuan dowry. Zhong Liangcai beat Zhong Hongying half to death, not because he worried about having no bride to offer but because he grieved over the lost two hundred yuan.
In the end, the fifteen-year-old Zhong Hongying married in place of Zhong Yuying. Although the fool’s parents disdained Zhong Hongying’s looks compared to Zhong Yuying’s beauty, Zhong Liangcai exhibited shamelessness, insisting that he would neither return the money nor had any daughter to offer but her. They had no choice but to accept, taking into account that Zhong Hongying was also a fresh, young woman, so they married her off.