A long while passed before He Yingzi came back to her senses. She looked at her soon-to-be sister-in-law with somewhat complicated eyes. She had always known that her sister-in-law was young, only nineteen years old.
But what she had never expected was that her sister-in-law was also so beautiful.
Looking at the delicate and beautiful woman before her, who seemed like she might be blown away by a gust of wind, He Yingzi let out a soft sigh.
Suddenly, she felt that her brother, who only had eyes for the troops and was never home, was not good enough for this young girl!!!
Such a beautiful young girl paired with her little brother was simply a waste of heavenly treasures!
With her brother’s character, how could he possibly deserve this beautiful and well-behaved young girl!
Qiao Shu, who had been secretly sizing up her future eldest sister-in-law, tensed up immediately when she saw her sigh.
Thinking of Wu Ma from the Feng Family, who was skilled at Su cuisine and made especially delicious food, she mustered her courage and asked softly, “Sister, why are you sighing? Are you okay?”
If you’re okay, hurry up and take me home! So hungry! I want to eat!
He Yingzi, who had been inwardly complaining about her brother and felt great pity for Qiao Shu, who was so young yet had to marry him, saw the girl looking at her timidly but caringly. Especially with that clear and sweet voice obediently calling her “sister.”
This made He Yingzi, who already pitied and liked Qiao Shu very much, soften completely.
The usually proud and strong woman softened unusually in front of Qiao Shu. Her expression gentle, her voice several degrees softer than usual, she said to Qiao Shu, “I’m fine. Let’s go. Sis… cough! I’ll take you home.”
She still couldn’t bring herself to say “sister,” after all, she was old enough to be Qiao Shu’s mother.
Not to mention she had a daughter who was only nine years younger than Qiao Shu.
Suddenly, He Yingzi felt that her own grandpa had done something wicked!!!
To uphold so-called “keeping promises” and “repaying favors,” he had just sacrificed a young girl like this!!!
She had felt a bit sorry for her brother before, who had his happiness sacrificed, forced into an arranged marriage by the elders, marrying a girl he had never met and didn’t love. But now, after seeing the nervous expression on the beautiful and well-behaved girl’s face, He Yingzi felt not the slightest pity for her brother anymore.
Especially when the girl blinked her large, pitifully charming watery eyes and timidly took her unintentionally extended hand with her fair, delicate little hand, whose nails even glowed with a pink sheen.
Feeling the soft, boneless touch like tender jade in her hand, He Yingzi felt even more that her brother was not pitiable at all! He was even a bit hateful!!
If he could have refused this “arranged marriage,” then the young girl wouldn’t have had to be married off so young and confusedly by her family!
“Sigh, Shushu, you’ve been wronged.”
He Yingzi sighed softly again, looking at Qiao Shu with eyes full of pity and affection.
This left Qiao Shu utterly baffled, full of question marks.
She didn’t understand why this eldest sister-in-law had been looking at her with such loving eyes and sighing ever since she saw her.
It felt like she was marrying into a den of wolves and tigers.
“Wronged? Sister, I’m not wronged at all. Comrade Yang took such good care of me along the way! The sleeper berth was very comfortable, and the food on the train was so good! …”
Qiao Shu thought she meant the journey had been hard and tiring, so she earnestly refuted it, happily talking about the delicious foods she had eaten on the train.
Watching the girl’s eyes sparkle as she described how good the food was on the train and how comfortable the journey had been, He Yingzi felt even more that her future sister-in-law was just too… likable!!!
Such a pure, cute, and beautiful little fairy-like girl had been taken by her brother just like that!
The more she looked at the well-behaved and cute girl, the more unsettled He Yingzi felt, and her affection for her reached its peak. Thus—
“Shushu, although I’m Feng Xiao’s biological sister. But if you were forced by your family to marry my brother and are unwilling in your heart, I will help you cancel this marriage. I won’t let you suffer any grievances.”
As soon as He Yingzi said this, Yang Baocheng nearby was completely dumbfounded.
He never imagined that after guarding against so many men trying to poach her along the way back with Qiao Shu, he couldn’t guard against Feng Xiao’s sister!
Who would have thought that the groom-to-be’s own sister would raise the shovel for digging at the wall—and the most formidable one at that!!!
Yang Baocheng felt a second of sympathy in his heart for the pitiful Feng Xiao.
Then he looked intently at Qiao Shu, wondering what her reaction would be, whether she would break off the engagement with Feng Xiao right then…
However, the secret expectation in Yang Baocheng’s heart was destined to be shattered.
After all, no one had forced Qiao Shu; she was dead set on marrying Feng Xiao!
“Ah…???”
Qiao Shu blinked in slight confusion. Seeing that He Yingzi was not joking but serious, she finally came back to her senses.
“Sister, you’re such a good person.”
Qiao Shu, understanding He Yingzi’s meaning, sighed sincerely.
Her determination to marry Feng Xiao grew even stronger in her heart, after all, his family was truly wonderful!
She had only met her for the first time, and this eldest sister-in-law was already on her side, thinking for her!
For such a good family, she felt she could marry into it!
With such a beautiful-hearted eldest sister-in-law who thought of her wholeheartedly, she no longer feared being bullied by her “cheap husband” and “cheap children” in the future!
“But sister, no one in my family forced me to get married. I wanted to marry Regiment Leader Feng myself.”
Seeing He Yingzi’s somewhat disbelieving expression, Qiao Shu worried that she might think she was still forced and, with good intentions, ruin the marriage. So she earnestly and sincerely gave a “heartfelt confession”!
“Sister, I’ve admired soldiers since I was little. My dream has always been to marry a soldier in uniform, who sheds his blood and lays down his life for the country and the people.
So, when I learned I could marry Regiment Leader Feng, I was so happy! I looked forward every day to him marrying me home soon!
Even if he’s eleven years older than me, even if he has adopted two children and I’d have to be their stepmother after marrying, I don’t care about any of that!
In my heart, Regiment Leader Feng is a great hero loyal to the country, loyal to the people, brotherly to his comrades, righteous, and responsible!
To marry such a great hero, I’m not wronged at all! I’m really, really happy! I’m truly willing!”
Qiao Shu’s eyes were wide and round, her beautiful watery eyes full of sincerity as she spoke earnestly to He Yingzi.
Hearing Qiao Shu’s heartfelt confession, both Yang Baocheng and He Yingzi fell silent.
But Yang Baocheng was silent out of envy and jealousy at Qiao Shu’s “deep affection” for Feng Xiao, unable to speak.
While He Yingzi—
What a good girl! How was she brainwashed by her grandpa?
That’s right, He Yingzi didn’t believe Qiao Shu truly loved her brother.
She only thought Grandpa Qiao was like her own grandpa, always talking at home about the childhood betrothal they had arranged, nagging about fulfilling the promise.
But Grandpa Qiao was probably smarter than her grandpa, starting from when Qiao Shu was little, telling her heroic stories of soldiers and guiding little Qiao Shu to grow up determined to marry Feng Xiao…
Thinking of this, He Yingzi felt even more pity and affection for the pure and well-behaved girl before her!
However, Qiao Shu had no idea that her “heartfelt confession” had led He Yingzi astray, imagining all sorts of unfounded things.
But even so, Qiao Shu’s goal was ultimately achieved~!
“I understand, Shushu. From now on, we’re family. If there’s any grievance, don’t keep it bottled up; speak it out. No matter what happens, I’ll always be on your side. And…”
As she spoke, He Yingzi lowered her head, her slender phoenix eyes full of seriousness and resolve. “What I said before stands forever. If you find you don’t love my brother and don’t want to continue this marriage, I’ll help you end it all.”
In He Yingzi’s view, the childhood betrothal between the Qiao Family and Feng Family was an absurd marriage that shouldn’t exist.
Both Qiao Shu and Feng Xiao were merely sacrifices of the two families’ elders.
She thought, if she couldn’t stop it now, then later, if Qiao Shu woke up and didn’t want this marriage, she would do everything to help this pure and well-behaved little girl…
Feng Xiao, far away at the front lines, had no idea that he hadn’t even met his future little wife yet, but his sister was already waving a shovel, ready to poach her and encourage his little wife to divorce him~!
Looking at He Yingzi’s earnest and concerned expression, Qiao Shu was moved by her future eldest sister-in-law.
She hadn’t expected that this eldest sister-in-law, whom she had just met for the first time, cared so much for her and thought so sincerely for her.
Thus, influenced by the original owner’s increased coquetry skills, Qiao Shu subconsciously hugged He Yingzi’s arm, tilted up her little face, and said sweetly with sparkling eyes, “Sister, you’re so good to me. I like you so much.”
If this were her previous life, Qiao Shu definitely wouldn’t have coquetted like this with anyone, especially since she was an orphan with no friends or family.
She simply had no one to coquettish with.
But in this life, with a family that truly loved her, and under the dual influence of the original owner’s personality and memories, she didn’t feel that coquetry was shameful even as an adult.
As for casually saying she liked someone, on one hand, the original owner was the type who habitually pleased family with sweet words.
On the other hand… when she left the Qiao Family, her mother He Meijun had instructed her that when getting along with in-laws, one must be sweet-tongued.
Emit goodwill and affection toward others.
Even if you like someone only a little, show ten times that, so even if they don’t like you at first, they will later.
Not to mention those who like you from the start—they’ll treat you even better from the heart…
Qiao Shu, who had never been married, firmly remembered her mother He Meijun’s earnest teachings!
So now, facing the very good and considerate He Yingzi, she followed her mother’s guidance without thinking.
Although she had only met He Yingzi for the first time and felt a bit of fondness for this eldest sister-in-law, Qiao Shu showed ten times the fondness, coquettish with her just like with her Qiao Family!
And He Yingzi, who already liked Qiao Shu very much, how could she withstand such a deadly sweet coquetry offensive?
Although He Yingzi had a daughter, her daughter was a tomboy who never coquetted.
So facing Qiao Shu’s soft, fragrant, sweet hugging and coquetry, she didn’t hold out for even a second!
She fell instantly!
Yang Baocheng watched as Chief of Staff He, renowned in the military for her proud, stern, fierce, and strong demeanor, now only grinned foolishly at Qiao Shu, her smile especially loving and silly. For a moment, he felt a sense of disconnect.
But when he looked again at Qiao Shu intimately holding He Yingzi’s arm and coquettishly sweetly, he felt… he would probably grin even more sillily than He Yingzi!!!