5. Breaking off the engagement
Translated by Maggie Edited by Pete Proofread by Simple

Lian Ze was furious; his face was like heavy clouds before the arrival of the storm.
Without waiting for her brother to burst into rage, Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said leisurely: “Aunt, isn’t your marriage certificate at your own home? How come you have gone to search for it here? Seeing you this anxious to find it, do you want to remarry?”
Mrs. Qiao and Lian Ze both froze. Before long Lian Ze couldn’t stop himself from laughing, but he tried to bite his lip, lower his head and mask it with a cough. Mrs. Qiao was embarrassed so much that anger showed on her face. She noisily spat on the ground.
( TN : this gesture it usually appears when someone says something unlucky. Kinda like trying to prevent a jinx. I’m sure there’s some Chinese drama that has a dude saying “you won’t be able to marry” or “you’ll get ill” and another dude will go pah pah pah as if to dismiss the jinx/rejecting that thought ).
Then she said with a cold smile: “No wonder these days there’s an uproar saying you changed into a different person. Sure enough, it’s true. What rubbish are you spouting from your mouth! Is that how you speak to your elder?! Are you not afraid of hurting your tongue?”
“Elder?” Lian Fang Zhou smiled coldly and said: “I nearly thought you came here to rob us! So you’re actually an elder! I’m not afraid of hurting my tongue, but I worry you might sprain your waist!”
“You!” Mrs. Qiao had never suffered such a rebuke before and for a while, she couldn’t say anything. After a moment she harrumphed: “Stop feigning ignorance in front of me; where’s your marriage certificate with the Yang family? Quickly bring it out!”
Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t help becoming angry: “Why should I?!”
“Why?” Mrs. Qiao placed her hands on her waist, stepped closer and said fiercely: “Because I am your Aunt! Your Uncle and I are your elders! Of course, these important things should be given to us for care taking!”
“No need!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled coldly and said: “My parents are gone, so now in this family, I am the elder! Our family’s matters don’t need you managing them!”
“Outrageous! What are you saying?!” Mrs. Qiao was angered till her bursting point.
“Aunt please return! What my sister said is right. Now she is our family head. Our business doesn’t need aunt worrying about it!” Lian Ze also said indifferently.
Mrs. Qiao couldn’t find the thing, trying to snatch it also failed and her was heart was burning with rage. Just when she was thinking of what to say next, she heard an old woman yelling outside: “Is anyone here? Lian Fang Zhou? Lian Fang Zhou get out! We, the Yang family have come to break off the engagement!”
Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze subconsciously exchanged looks. No wonder Mrs. Qiao came to look for the marriage certificate! She was actually aiming for the ten liang of silver!
Lian Fang Zhou lightly harrumphed, then raised her voice and saying: “Coming” and left the room.
Lian Ze also looked at Mrs. Qiao once and followed his sister.
Lian Fang Zhou saw a tall and thin person who was the neat and smart old woman Yang. She said in an indifferent tone: “Did you bring the money?”
Old woman Yang looked at her with contempt. From her inside pocket, she took out the money and shook it: “Ten liang, not one less! However, I want to see the marriage certificate!”
“Of course!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled frankly and said: “One hand giving the money while the other gives the goods is the fairest!”
Old woman Yang harrumphed and didn’t answer in disdain
Lian Fang Zhou turned her head and looked at the Mrs. Qiao who came out of the room: “Aunt, now that there’s no matter for you to take care of here, please return to your home!”
“Wait!” old woman Yang suddenly said: “Your aunt must stay and be the witness, so people won’t say that we, the Yang family are bullying you parent-less kids!” Hearing words like that isn’t good for anyone.
Lian Ze’s face changed and he coldly shot a glance at her.
At the same time, Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t help but be furious. This old woman’s mouth was as stinky as that Hua family’s woman. No wonder they wanted to be in-laws.
“Did you hear that? For now, I still won’t go!” Mrs. Qiao said triumphantly. With that, she pulled out a stool and sat on it in an exaggerated manner. She kept glancing from Lian Fang Zhou to the money in old woman Yang’s hand. She really wanted to snatch it now.
Lian Fang Zhou weighed things out in her head. She couldn’t vouch that after she brought the marriage certificate out, Mrs. Qiao wouldn’t snatch the money.
On the other hand, this old woman Yang was definitely harboring hatred in her heart towards the former Lian Fang Zhou; for not wanting to break off the engagement. It was uncertain what hidden bad intentions she has. If she did something malicious at this moment, then the money would fall into Mrs. Qiao’s hand. Later, when she wanted to cry, she would have no one to cry to.
“Witness? Oh, that’s right! If there’s a witness, then people won’t say that us siblings are playing tricks!”
Lian Fang Zhou laughed and then continued: “However, it isn’t appropriate for Aunt to be the witness. She is part of Lian family. To avoid suspicion, Ah Ze go and invite Aunt Zhang over. Letting Aunt Zhang be the witness is very appropriate!”
Lian Ze looked at Mrs. Qiao once, nodded his head and immediately left.
Mrs. Qiao was stunned. But she couldn’t even say a single word to refute the idea.
Old woman Yang staring coldly couldn’t help but sneer secretly: Sure enough, she’s not only poor, she’s also a sly girl! At that time, the old man was really blind to arrange this marriage!
Not long after, Aunt Zhang came. Seeing the situation, she sighed secretly. Mrs. Qiao shot her a hostile look, but Aunt Zhang pretended she didn’t see it.
Lian Fang Zhou smiled and entered the bedroom to get the marriage certificate.
Mrs. Qiao immediately stood up to follow, however, Lian Ze abruptly stood in front of her: “Aunt, since you want to be a witness, it’s better to wait outside!”
Lian Fang Zhou very quickly brought out the marriage contract.
Seeing that Mrs. Qiao’s eyes lit up, quietly gaining momentum she fiercely rushed toward Lian Fang Zhou, wanting to snatch the marriage certificate in her hand. But Lian Fang Zhou was already prepared, so she dodged to avoid her. Mrs. Qiao nearly tumbled to the ground.
“Bring it to me, so I can see if it’s real!” Mrs. Qiao was inwardly furious, she could only reach out her hand with a sullen face.
Lian Fang Zhou just sneered and coldly said: “What does it have to do with you? It’s not like Mrs. Yang is breaking off the engagement with your household.”
Aunt Qiao saw Lian Fang Zhou walk toward old woman Yang. Once these two exchanged the money for the certificate, it would have nothing to do with her anymore. Such an easy ten liang and she would get no share.
Mrs. Qiao couldn’t help but be anxious. She yelled in a stern tone: “LIAN FANG ZHOU! You dead bitch! What kind of mess do want to create? You’re a girl, do you have any shame? To actually break off an engagement! You may not want any face but the Lian family does. Be sensible and quickly hand the marriage certificate over to me! It is only proper that an elder handles this matter!”
Lian Fang Zhou’s eyes stared coldly at her. With her complexion darkened, she said icily: “Don’t act as an elder in front of me! In the end, you just want the ten liang, right? Let me tell you, you better kill off that desire! This is my own marriage, why can’t I dissolve it myself? Old woman Yang, do you actually want to break it off or not. If not then get the hell out of here, prepare an eight-man sedan and lift aunt here to marry into your house.”
“You, you are simply shameless! Is this what a girl should say?” Mrs. Qiao was trembling in fury.
Aunt Zhang seeing the situation quickly tried to smooth things over saying: “Mrs. Qiao, no need to worry! We came here to witness. All we need to do is watch quietly. This matter, the earlier it is settled the better, right?”
“You see Aunt Zhang, in this village, how can there be such shameless girl!” Mrs. Qiao angrily complained: “I was doing it for her own good! Not knowing shame and breaking off the engagement herself, could she possibly have any good reputation now? In the future, who will marry her? Listen, from her lips there wasn’t a single good word.”
“You don’t need to worry about this,” Lian Fang Zhou sneered and said: “even if your aunt here, in this life, does not marry, I will not go to your family to rely on. Don’t you dare try to control! Old woman Yang, is this marriage broken off or not?”
Old woman Yang originally wanted to anger Lian Fang Zhou and would rather give the money to Mrs. Qiao than to her. But seeing the situation develop she was speechless. What other ideas could she think of? She could only settle this early to avoid complications, so she said repeatedly: “Break off, of course, break off! Here’s the ten liang. Come and bring the marriage certificate here!”
Having Aunt Zhang as the witness, both parties felt more relaxed. Instantly they exchanged their things, then each of them verified the contents looking and feeling satisfied. Mrs. Qiao could only dryly look from the side.
“Since there’s nothing else, please leave. I won’t send you off.” Lian Fang Zhou was satisfied and carefully pocketed the money.
“That’s what I want to say!” old woman Yang glared at Lian Fang Zhou and said: “In the future stay far away from my son, Huai Shan! Don’t seduce him anymore!”
Lian Fang Zhou smiled as she said: “I am only interested in the money, your son holds no interest for me at all! You better manage him well. It should be me saying ‘don’t let your son harass me’ instead!”
“You!” old woman Yang hearing her speak about her proud son like this, couldn’t help but be angered. She fiercely glared at Fang Zhou, pocketed the marriage certificate and turned to leave.