An Accidental Military Marriage

Jiang Moli didn’t give the matter with Shi Yu and Zhang Lei much thought.

When Jiang Peng brought it up, she said casually, "It’s best if they listen to advice, but if they don’t, you shouldn’t get involved. Remember what your big sister says: let go of the hero complex, respect others’ fate."

"What does that mean?"

"To put it simply, meddle too much and you’ll get struck by lightning."

"...Oh."

’He wasn’t about to do anything that would get him struck by lightning.’

...

When Ruan Fuqiang returned to the village and put his head together with Ruan Fuguo, it all became clear.

Jiang Moli was playing them for fools!

’They couldn’t let this go!’

...

The next day, the three brothers showed up at the Jiang family’s home to demand an explanation from Jiang Dahai.

Jiang Dahai played dumb, insisting he knew nothing about it.

The three Ruan brothers didn’t come alone; they brought their parents, hoping to use Jiang Dahai’s in-laws to pressure him.

Liu Feng and the other two sisters-in-law also came along to back up their husbands.

The whole motley crew of a family descended menacingly, attracting neighbors who gathered around the Jiang home to watch the drama unfold.

"What’s all this ruckus about now?"

"It’s about the job arrangements. That little troublemaker took their money and promised to get them jobs, but the jobs never came through. Now they’re furious and have come demanding answers!"

Wang Lianhua, the Jiangs’ next-door neighbor, got the scoop and immediately started spreading the word.

As the news spread, more and more neighbors gathered outside the Jiang family’s home.

Jiang Dashan and Jiang Dachuan had also come to the Jiang family’s home today.

Previously, Jiang Moli had promised to help arrange jobs after the Dragon Boat Festival. They weren’t as impatient as the Ruan Family; they waited two days after the festival before coming into the city.

Seeing the sea of people crowded outside the Jiang home, Jiang Dashan couldn’t help but wonder.

"What’s going on? What happened?"

Recognizing Jiang Dashan as Jiang Dahai’s brother, a man said, "You’re here for Jiang Moli to arrange jobs, right? You’ve come at just the right time. Hurry up and take a look inside."

Jiang Dashan didn’t catch the man’s sarcasm and thought something good was happening. He and Jiang Dachuan hurriedly squeezed through the crowd and entered the Jiang home.

"Hey, Dahai, quite a party you’ve got here!"

Seeing Jiang Dashan and Jiang Dachuan arrive as well, Jiang Dahai felt his headache grow twice as big.

Before he could greet them, Liu Feng rushed up to the Jiang brothers. "You’re here about the jobs too, right? Jiang Moli is a liar! She’s playing all of us—her relatives and elders—for fools..."

With a harsh voice and a stern expression, Liu Feng laid out everything Jiang Moli had done.

’Liu Feng had it all figured out.’

’Jiang Moli was the daughter-in-law of a Chief’s family now. Even if Jiang Moli didn’t care about her reputation, the Chief himself had to.’

’When he steps in to clean up Moli’s mess, they could logically get the Chief to sort out their own problems!’

The neighbors were also stunned when they understood the whole story.

At first, they all thought that since Jiang Moli had married well, she was trying to use her in-laws’ connections to help out her own family.

’Turns out she’s all talk and no action, just putting on a show!’

"Pah, so she’s just a big braggart!"

Wang Lianhua spat on the ground, feeling utterly delighted.

’Jiang Moli ate her melon but refused to help her. She’d been so furious she hadn’t been able to eat for days.’

’Good. This time, Jiang Moli’s bluff had finally been called.’

’She couldn’t wait to watch these duped relatives tear Jiang Moli to pieces.’

Jiang Dashan and Jiang Dachuan were equally shocked and furious.

Especially Jiang Dashan. To pay back the money he owed Jiang Dahai’s family, he had not only used his second son’s wedding fund but had also borrowed a substantial amount from relatives and friends.

’He’d thought that if his eldest could just land that iron rice bowl, the steady monthly income would eventually make it all back.’

’But who could have known the job was merely a beautiful illusion, like a flower in a mirror or the moon on the water—something you could see but never touch?’

’So how was he supposed to pay back all the money he’d borrowed?’

’His second son was already well into his twenties. If he couldn’t get married soon, he’d end up a bachelor for life.’

...

When Jiang Moli returned to the family quarters and saw the impenetrable crowd blocking her front door, she wasn’t flustered at all. In fact, she was a little excited.

’Although the people here had already contributed their share of Disdain Value, it didn’t matter. Each of them had a whole network of gossiping relatives behind them.’

’One person could influence a whole network. They would surely bring her a fresh wave of Disdain Value.’

Jiang Peng, however, was worried. He had seen since childhood just how overbearing and troublesome his maternal uncles and aunts could be.

"Sis, what if our uncles plant themselves in our house and refuse to leave?"

"Don’t worry. When it comes to being shameless, I’m second to none."

"..."

’When it came to being shameless, Jiang Peng had complete faith in his sister.’

The Jiang family’s courtyard was as noisy as a wet market.

The Ruan Family and the two Jiang brothers were all worked up, their spit flying as they verbally lambasted Jiang Dahai.

Jiang Moli strode in and yelled, "Stop arguing! Start fighting!"

The clamoring crowd fell silent.

Seeing her return, the Ruan Family immediately surrounded her. "You’re back just in time. Today, in front of all of us relatives and elders, you’re going to make things clear. Can you arrange the jobs or not?"

"You said you could arrange a job for your eldest cousin, we believed you, and we gave you the money. So where’s the promised job?"

"Taking money without doing anything, and swindling your own family, do you have no conscience?"

Afraid Jiang Moli would get the short end of the stick, Jiang Dahai quickly stood in front of her. "Everyone, calm down. Moli is young and doesn’t know any better. Her words and actions can be unreliable. You’re her own uncles, why would she intentionally trick you..."

"Dad, move aside. I’ll talk to them."

Jiang Moli pushed Jiang Dahai aside and faced the Ruan Family herself.

Jiang Peng, Shi Yu, and Zhang Lei formed a protective triangle around her to prevent the Ruan Family from getting physical.

After all, Ruan Fuguo’s group and the Jiang brothers were all farmers with brute strength. If it really came to blows, she’d definitely lose out.

With Jiang Peng and the other two as her bodyguards, Jiang Moli wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She hopped onto a stool to look down on the crowd:

"I took money, but did I take *your* money? That was my dad’s money! It was loaned out for so many years without a single cent of interest. It’s perfectly reasonable for me to collect the debt!"

"And as for arranging the job, I took you to the office to meet the director. I asked him to arrange a position for my cousin. He’s the one who said no. How is that my fault?"

Liu Feng shot back, "Arrange my ass! You call that arranging a job? You were just playing us elders for fools!"

Jiang Moli replied, "If you insist on seeing yourselves as monkeys instead of people, I can’t say I understand, but I respect your decision."

"You! You’re just being a shameless deadbeat now, is that it?"

Liu Feng’s eyes were wide with fury, her nostrils flaring like an angry old cow.

"I’ll be damned if we don’t settle this today."

With that, she plopped herself down on the ground with enough force to kick up a cloud of dust. "If this isn’t resolved, I’m living here and not leaving!"

Luo Xiuhua and Zhou Xianghong promptly followed suit, plopping down on the ground as well.

Jiang Moli spread her hands. "Fine by me. If you like living here so much, you can have the house. We’ll leave."

Then, she ordered Jiang Peng, "Xiao Peng, grab anything valuable in the house and pack a few changes of clothes. We’re moving."

"You got it!"

Jiang Peng was a man of action. He went inside and immediately started packing, a racket of CLANGING and BANGING echoing from the rooms.

Liu Feng sneered, clearly not believing the Jiang family would really give up the house.

"Fine by me. I’ve never lived in a house in the city before. Time to enjoy the high life."

The rest of the Ruan Family were equally unconvinced.

’A house this nice? They’d just give it up?’

’They’d already fallen for Jiang Moli’s tricks once. They weren’t about to fall for them a second time!’