I became the Counterpart of the Winner in a Period Novel

Chapter 423 - 362: The Long-Awaited Marriage Proposal

Under Jiang Zhenzhu’s persistent persuasion, Cui Xiaoxiao naturally agreed.

But what she was thinking about was how to utterly crush Jiang Mingyue, that woman who had been an eyesore to her since childhood, like a thorn in her side that had to be removed.

However, Jiang Mingyue didn’t know this. After meeting Yun Di and returning, her family was still lively with dinner in the main hall. She went upstairs to her room, dusty from biking along mountain roads today.

She gathered her change of clothes and went into her space to bathe. After that, she continued farming, planting sweet potato vines this time. She remembered Mr. Yang saying it was hard to find meat at the market recently, so she went to check on her chickens and rabbits. They were resting, allowing an easy count of their numbers. It seemed she had quite a stockpile of chicken and rabbit meat. She could take some to her eldest cousin’s family if they needed it. As for fish, there wasn’t much duck, she’d keep those for home consumption.

Remembering the savory aroma of roast duck, Jiang Mingyue couldn’t resist handling two ducks right away. Without a closed oven, she went to Bamboo Garden, found some tin sheets, and formed a circle, rubbed spices on the ducks to marinate for fifteen minutes before starting to roast. During roasting, she read books on the side; Granny Shi’s detective books, though battered from use, still offered new insights with every reading—one of the few books she studied attentively.

Wait, this case.

Jiang Mingyue hadn’t thought much of it before, but ever since she found out Cui Xiaoxiao was the mastermind behind the scenes, she’d given it more thought.

This case spoke about a family massacre. Little Hua—of course, alias was used in the book—was the youngest daughter in the family. Her mother was injured and gave birth prematurely; from birth, she was weak and sickly. Her grandmother loved her and suggested raising her in the countryside, away from the adult’s tumultuous life.

Though reluctant, the mother agreed.

After the mother settled down in the city, she never considered bringing her daughter back, as if she’d forgotten she once had a little daughter. Instead, she had a child around her daughter’s age, a friend’s child. Due to close family ties, they’d been visiting frequently. Over time, the friend suggested her daughter be raised by the mother, who gladly accepted. Thus, the girl was raised by her side.

Unexpectedly, this upbringing led to a shocking case.

The friend’s husband was an enemy operative, using his wife to inquire for information from the family.

The daughter fell for the eldest son of that family, confessed as she grew up, but he only saw her as a sister.

So the ’sister’ turned dark, wiped out the family, and committed suicide out of despair. Since the matter was significant and caused severe societal impact, higher-ups ordered the real culprit to be found within three days.

Unexpectedly, the investigation revealed not only the daughter’s father’s identity but also that her mother’s background wasn’t simple. Ultimately, even the deceased family had connections, inadvertently leaking many secrets over the years. Though unintentional, failure to secure them was a dereliction of duty.

Finally, it was a mess; no one escaped unscathed.

The reason Jiang Mingyue thought of Cui Xiaoxiao was because the case strikingly resembled her situation.

The only difference was Cui Xiaoxiao’s parents were Cui Mingshi’s second uncle and aunt, not enemy operatives.

No, but what if they were?

Jiang Mingyue tried to glean some useful information from the original book, but unfortunately, there were no hints.

"Sizzle sizzle"

The aroma of roast duck emerged, compelling Jiang Mingyue to smack her lips instinctively. My goodness, it smelled too good!

She tried to call Yan Jinzhi over to eat together, but to no avail; he was probably busy with data.

Jiang Mingyue set up a small table for herself and poured a glass of plum wine, waiting for the roast duck to be ready.

Wait, she still needed the sauce.

Making sweet bean sauce now was clearly too late.

Jiang Mingyue re-fried some black truffle paste mixed with sweet soy sauce; upon tasting, it really did the trick.

The roast duck was ready. She took the smaller one for herself, dipped it in sauce, and it tasted quite good, thanks to the era’s climate and soil. Only ducks nurtured by such conditions could taste this good.

This time she ate too much, intending to take a walk within the space when she heard a "knock knock knock" at the door.

Jiang Mingyue didn’t bother guessing who it was; anyone in this family could show up.

Opening the door, "Third Sister, come in."

"It’s been a while since we sisters met. You just see me and run off, impossible to find when needed." Of course, these were teasing words between sisters, but she truly missed her sister.

Jiang Mingyue knew she referred to her avoiding marriage discussions and running off to school.

"Hey! That matter is for the elders to handle; a junior like me can’t help with any of it, right?"

Jiang Zhenmei rolled her eyes at her. "Did I say you should help? Rarely home, you don’t even spend time with me."

"Right, right, I know I was wrong. Now, I’m here to accompany Comrade Jiang Zhenmei."

"Hahaha! Alright, you’re such a smooth talker. Did Second Brother write to you?"

Jiang Mingyue paused, yes, logically, Second Brother should have sent a letter home right after joining the army, but seeing her third sister’s expression suggested otherwise.

The two sisters didn’t need to say much; they both understood.

"It’s been two months, that’s not normal!" Jiang Zhenmei said worriedly.

Jiang Mingyue calmly reassured Jiang Zhenmei, "Third Sister, don’t worry. I’ll have Yan Jinzhi ask around; nothing will happen to Second Brother. Maybe he just forgot."

Jiang Zhenmei, having never seen a letter from Second Brother, thought perhaps he did forget.

"Alright, make sure to ask later."

Jiang Mingyue remembered what Mrs. Jiang had said before, and decided to test the weight of Zhai Hanjin in her third sister’s heart.

"If you have something to say, just ask. Don’t give me that look; it makes my scalp tingle."

"Ahem! Third Sister..." Words on the tip of her tongue, Jiang Mingyue changed her approach and recounted her encounter at the department store that morning.

When she mentioned Zhai Hanjin supporting Murong Xian, she indeed saw Third Sister’s hand tensing on her lap.

Sure enough, love had blossomed!

While pondering how to help the future brother-in-law erase traces of Zhai Hanjin, Third Sister spoke: "Yueyue, did Mom tell you?" Her head lowered in some shame.

Jiang Mingyue knew exactly what she referred to.

"Uh-huh"

"Mingyue, I initially noticed him because he didn’t seem to fit in with the land here. Unlike other educated youths blending in with our family, he worked on the tractor alone, resting in the shade without any friends around—he looked quite pitiful."

The classic melancholic prince route.

"Once, I forgot my period date, and the cold water made the blood flood onto my pants. He covered me with his coat."

Jiang Mingyue: "..." Got it. Any girl couldn’t resist, especially with Zhai Hanjin’s looks.

"But, Yueyue, I’ve come to understand that Jiao Can is more suitable for me. We’ve grown up together, knowing each other’s roots. He’s truly good, and Aunt Jiao’s family is really good too; I shouldn’t encounter any in-law conflicts after marrying. Plus, as you saw today, Jiao Can didn’t just run away—he came back to protect me first. His heart moved me, and I won’t let him down.

Zhai Hanjin and whatever scandal he’s in have nothing to do with me. Just know your future brother-in-law is Jiao Can."

This suited Jiang Mingyue perfectly, and she naturally showed much more blessings.

Early the next morning, Shen Fanghua got up to make breakfast for everyone.

After breakfast, they didn’t rush off to work; instead, the whole family stayed home.

Right on schedule, movements were heard outside the courtyard.

Matchmaker Zhao walked in front, with Aunt Jiao and Jiao Can carrying items in the back.

Their goods were so eye-catching, drawing quite a crowd to watch.

"Wow, this strip of meat must be five to six pounds! The Jiao Family is really generous. If I knew they were so willing for a bride, I’d have rushed to marry my little niece to them."

"Wishful thinking! Do you think just anyone can catch Aunt Jiao’s eye? Forget about that. Only the Jiang Family’s third girl pleases her. I heard Aunt Jiao wanted her from when she was just a soft little ball."

"Could it be she wants to find a child bride for her son like her mother-in-law did?"

"Not impossible."

"It’s not just about the meat; there’s a chicken and a piece of red cloth. Who knows what’s in the basket underneath."