My dad was discharged from the hospital after a simple bandage because he was fully responsible for riding a bike while drunk and going against traffic. The family of the deceased demanded a compensation of 400,000 yuan, not a penny less, which made our already poor family even worse off.

We only had an old house, which was worth some money, but my dad said he would rather die in this house than sell it.

My parents had saved a total of 100,000 yuan, I could contribute another 100,000 yuan, and with the dowry for Zhenzhen, it was just enough to make up the 400,000 yuan.

Zhenzhen went back to her hometown specifically to discuss the dowry with her parents, which moved my mom to tears, saying that Zhenzhen was so considerate.

A few days later, I heard that Zhenzhen had returned and had even proposed to forgo the dowry, which surprised me.

When it was almost time to get off work, my mom called me with an unusually gentle tone: "Xiao Nan, you haven't been home for a few days, have you been eating takeout? Come home for dinner tonight, Mom will make your favorite braised ribs."

The only time my mom was this gentle to me was when I got my first bonus of 20,000 yuan from work and gave it all to her.

I was puzzled but agreed anyway.

When I got home that night, to my surprise, besides Zhenzhen, there was an uncle in the house, smoking on the sofa with my dad.

The uncle looked nearly fifty, with a face full of wrinkles and signs of life's hardships.

When he saw me return, he immediately stood up, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth and smiling at me while eyeing me up and down.

I felt a wave of disgust and politely nodded to him before trying to go to my room.

"Xiao Nan, you're back. Come, let me introduce you, this is Zhenzhen's brother, Xu Guoli," my mom said as she came out of the kitchen, wearing an apron.

Only then did I notice the dozen or so dishes on the dining table, along with my dad's long-cherished white liquor. It was quite a grand setup.

Zhenzhen enthusiastically came forward, holding my arm, and said, "Sister, why are you back so late? My brother couldn't wait any longer. Come, talk to him, my brother is really nice."

"Your... brother?" I looked at the man called Xu Guoli, thinking that he could pass as Zhenzhen's father.

"Yes, my brother is a bit older than me. He took great care of me when we were young, so if we could become a family, that would be perfect!"

Zhenzhen said this as she pushed me to sit beside Xu Guoli. My dad moved over to make some space, and I still didn't understand why I had to sit next to Xu Guoli.

As soon as I sat down, Xu Guoli leaned closer with a grin, "Xiao Nan, you look really pretty, not like a woman from a small town, but from a big city."

This behavior, which crossed the boundary of strangers, made me extremely uncomfortable. I tried to move away, but my dad blocked me tightly. Seeing that Xu Guoli's entire body was about to stick to mine, I stood up abruptly.

"Sister, where are you going? Just chat with big brother for a bit," Song Xiaobei suddenly said nervously.

"You can't go anywhere, just sit here!" My dad suddenly got angry and looked very serious.

At that moment, I understood everything. This was a "blind date" arranged by the whole family, trying to make me and this uncle develop feelings for each other!

I also put on a cold face: "Dad, Mom, what do you mean, just say it straight!"

My mom also stopped cooking, took off her apron, and sat down. The whole family sat in a semicircle around me, all eyes fixed on me.

My dad spoke first: "Xiao Nan, you know our family's situation. After such an incident, we need money. Now, Zhenzhen's parents are very nice and agreed not to ask for a dowry, so..."

"So... you want to sell me to her brother?" I said, trembling and with tears in my eyes.

"Xiao Nan, don't say it so harshly. Zhenzhen's brother is a good man, just poor and unable to afford a dowry. He's always had trouble finding a wife. If we could be related by marriage, Mom thinks it wouldn't be a bad thing," my mom added.

"Did you ever ask me what I think, did you ever respect me? He's at least twenty years older than me! And you still say you're not selling your daughter!" I was shaking with anger.

"Nonsense!" My dad suddenly slapped me, "I gave you life and raised you. Now it's time for you to repay us!"

"Exactly," my brother said discontentedly, "Mom and Dad raised you with great difficulty. You're going to get married anyway, so who cares who you marry."

The whole family kept blaming me for being ungrateful and not sharing the family's burden. Xu Guoli and Zhenzhen were silent, watching the drama unfold.

I suddenly broke down, with memories flashing through my mind like a revolving lantern of all the grievances I had suffered at home since I could remember.

In the first year of junior high, my mom picked up someone else's second-hand sneakers for me to wear. They were so tight that they split open during the sports meet, exposing my entire foot, and I was nicknamed "Bigfoot Monster" by my classmates, being mocked for three whole years, while Song Xiaobei wore brand-name sneakers worth five or six hundred yuan.

In the third year of junior high, the whole school organized a spring outing and charged 50 yuan as an activity fee, which was optional. I was the only one in the class who didn't participate because my parents wouldn't pay, while Song Xiaobei could go to a summer camp in Shanghai. I still remember the look in my class teacher's eyes and how humiliated I felt when I told her.

In the second year of high school, a classmate fell ill, and the class organized a donation. My mom grumbled and reluctantly gave five yuan, saying she would report it to the education bureau. That was my best friend. I cried all night collecting bottles, sold them for twenty yuan, and added my mom's five yuan to donate, but it was still the smallest amount in the class. That friend later passed away, and I've always felt guilty.

I insisted on going to college, applied for a student loan, and after I started working and earning money, my parents and brother came up with all sorts of ways to ask me for money. Now they even want to sell me for the dowry.

I had compromised time and again because I thought we were family, but I was clearly wrong. Song Xiaobei was their real child; I was just being kept along for the ride, just given enough to survive.

I don't know where I got the strength, but I flipped the coffee table in front of me, spilling the teapot, seeds, and fruit all over the floor.

My dad stood up and was about to hit me again: "What the hell are you doing? How did I raise such a bitch!"

This time I dodged and even found time to slap my dad back. The sound was crisp, and the air seemed to freeze. My hand was numb and hurt, but I felt incredibly relieved.

My mom screamed: "You shameless girl, just when we could use you, you rebel! You'll marry him whether you like it or not!"

I laughed: "What, do you fancy this old man? Then divorce and marry him yourself!"

With that, I turned and left the house. Over the years, the money I had given them was enough to repay their "raising" me.

Whether my dad could afford the compensation or go to jail was no longer my concern.

That night, a stranger added me on WeChat. After accepting, I realized it was Xu Guoli.

Xu Guoli didn't wait for me to speak and sent a long message, implying that he knew he wasn't good enough for me, but as the eldest son and given that I had a younger brother, my burden was heavier than his. Therefore, as a woman, necessary sacrifices were expected. Blah, blah, blah.

I didn't reply, just watched his performance like an idiot. It turned out that people's thoughts could be so different.

Finally, he realized something and angrily threatened that if I didn't marry him, he would ruin my reputation.

I had to admire him. He had actually found out about my house purchase in the provincial capital.