If you don't consummate the marriage for three years and then marry a successful educated youth

Lin Fengjiao snorted and said with dissatisfaction, "That won't do. I have to save face. If I really don't ask for a bride price, I don't know what those gossipy women in the village will say about me for being so eager."

"We should accept the bride price as it is. I'll take it back after the wedding. It's just a formality anyway. Both families know the truth. What do you think, Mom and Dad?"

"I knew Qing Shu was worth it. He was truly sincere towards me. Marrying into the city was my destiny, Lin Fengjiao."

Although Lin Jianguo felt that his daughter's thinking was somewhat inappropriate, things had already come to this point, and marrying into the city was the best choice. In any case, Shen Qingshu was better than the hunter from the countryside.

After all, they were on government-subsidized food rations, unlike the country folk. Thinking about this, a secret sense of joy welled up inside him. Luckily, the marriage was over, and his daughter, a young and unmarried woman, was no longer a burden with children.

She's not unworthy of Shen Qingshu.

She instructed him, "Since you know how hard-won this is, after you marry Shen Qingshu, you must think more about the good things about others and manage the household well. Only then will men value you more."

Lin Fengjiao snorted and replied perfunctorily, "Hmph, I know, Father. Brother Qingshu said that he married me so that I could enjoy a life of happiness, not so that I could be a maid."

"Once we get to the city, I'll have him find me an easy and respectable job, and then I'll be able to get government-subsidized grain rations. Let's see who dares to laugh at me for not knowing how to work in the fields."

"My parents gave me such good looks, I was born not to work in the fields, I should be sitting in an office."

Seeing her daughter regain her energy, Zhang Lan smiled and praised, "Yes, my Fengjiao is really lucky. Although Jiang Lie is not as respectable as Shen Qingshu, he is still someone many people in the brigade want to marry."

"Others who remarry can only marry women with children and become stepmothers, working in the fields and taking care of a large family in the countryside. How can they compare to my Fengjiao's good fortune? What God gave her is the best."

"I was worried before that you would have a hard time finding someone after you divorced Jiang Lie, but now I realize I was overthinking it. It's good that you divorced him. Even though Jiang Lie is divorced, he still asks us for money. He's not as good as Qing Shu."

Lin Fengjiao was very pleased with herself, and the three of them breathed a sigh of relief. They had been feeling incredibly stifled lately, and the days of being pointed at and gossiped about when they went out were unbearable.

As long as their daughter can marry into the city, they'll finally be able to vent their anger and see who dares to point fingers and say that the Lin family only has one daughter and no descendants.

The next morning, the elderly couple from the Lin family went to work in the fields, while Lin Fengjiao was still fast asleep, a satisfied smile on her lips.

A knock sounded at the door. Lin Fengjiao, woken up, was annoyed. She rubbed her eyes and opened the door, then, seeing who it was, said impatiently, "Xiaomei, what brings you here?"

Xiao Mei's eyes darted around, and she handed over a black nightshade wrapped in leaves: "Feng Jiao picked this for you, it's very sweet, try it. If you're free at home, I'll come and play with you."

She tentatively asked, "I saw your parents at work, and they seemed to be in a good mood. Did something good happen?"

Lin Fengjiao slightly raised her chin, and hesitated for a moment, remembering her mother's words.

Xiao Mei had grown up with her since childhood and had been jealous of her for over ten years. Seeing her like this, she could tell that she was hiding something from her. She enthusiastically pulled her into the courtyard.

She slammed the door shut: "Come on, let's go inside and talk. I'm so bored at home all by myself. I don't want to stay at my in-laws' house. I feel like I can't breathe. Ugh."

She proactively said, "You know, not being able to get pregnant isn't just my problem, everyone's staring at my belly. My mother-in-law is always being sarcastic, and my sister-in-law is adding fuel to the fire."

"I said I wanted to go to the hospital for a check-up, but my mother-in-law didn't want her son to go because she was afraid of losing face, which I understand. But I can go by myself, right? If I'm fine, then it's her son's problem."

"In the end, they still wouldn't let me go. They insisted it was my problem, saying that her son's seed was fine, otherwise how come his other sons all had children? Can you believe it?"

Lin Fengjiao nodded: "It is infuriating, isn't that just being unreasonable? Childbirth is not a problem for one person alone. If it doesn't work, go to the hospital for a checkup and you'll know for sure."

Xiao Mei sighed, her face full of pain: "Those folk remedies, I had to drink bowl after bowl of them, it was so painful, so bitter and hard to drink. I envy you so much, Feng Jiao."

"Look at you, you've been in the Jiang family for three years and haven't gotten pregnant yet. Your in-laws don't dare say anything to you, and Jiang Lie still dotes on you. What kind of magic trick did you use?"

"...Actually, it's nothing. I just don't give men a nice look, otherwise they'll take advantage of me."

Lin Fengjiao touched her face, her tone filled with undisguised smugness: "Men all like good-looking people. As long as I'm pretty enough, men will naturally protect me."

"As for my in-laws, they all depend on their son's mood. As long as their son protects his wife, they won't dare to bully her. Besides, I'm not someone to be trifled with."

"Slowly, no one will bully me anymore. If you were as pretty as me, Xiaomei, your man would naturally protect you."

Xiao Mei's expression stiffened upon hearing this, but she quickly returned to normal.

He chimed in, "Yes, you're right. That's why I say Feng Jiao, you're so lucky. I can't compare to you."

Changing the subject: "By the way, you haven't told me yet, is there some big happy event in your family? Your parents look very happy, and they don't look worried at all like before."

"Fengjiao, we're best friends. Just tell me secretly, and I promise I won't tell anyone, okay?"

Lin Fengjiao was annoyed by her pestering and felt that since it was a done deal anyway, it didn't really matter whether she said it sooner or later, and Xiaomei wasn't the kind of person who would spread rumors.

He grunted and warned, "Okay, but you can't talk to anyone else, or I won't talk to you anymore."

Xiaomei nodded repeatedly: "Okay, you can tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone. You know I'm very tight-lipped."

"Alright, I'll tell you."

A few minutes later, Lin Fengjiao saw her stunned expression and gently patted her: "Xiaomei, what are you staring at? You can't believe it? I didn't lie. Brother Qingshu said he'll come to propose next month."

"There are only a few days left until the end of the month. It'll be over soon. Soon I'll be a city dweller eating government-subsidized grain, and my children will be city dwellers too. Isn't that great?"

She said smugly, "As a divorcee, being able to marry a dizzy city guy is a blessing from God, something that just anyone can't compare to."

Xiao Mei listened quietly, her heart almost overwhelmed by jealousy. She stared intently at her, her smile somewhat forced.

He was screaming in his heart: Why is she so lucky? All she has is a pretty face. Why is God so blind to let an arrogant, domineering divorced woman marry into the city?

Lin Fengjiao said with displeasure, "Xiaomei, what are you thinking about? You look like you've lost your soul."