Switched Marriage: The Coddled Little Wife Chapter 2 She needs a sanctuary, not a husband

In her former life, her mother had orchestrated what seemed like a prestigious match, leading her to marry into the Qin Family with high hopes. However, she soon discovered that while they appeared as polished as golden eggs on the outside, they were as hollow as donkey dung within.

Mr. Qin suffered from chronic illness and was constantly on medication, draining an untold amount of wealth on endless medical bills.

The Qin Family was dominated by Mrs. Qin and the Eldest Son of Qin Family, Qin Han; consequently, Qin Yang's earnings were never permitted to reach her own hands.

Qin Han possessed immense authority; even Mrs. Qin deferred to his judgment at times.

Her husband, Qin Yang, was nothing more than an unfeeling work machine, distant and completely lacking in consideration. Their marriage remained unconsummated on the wedding night, and he departed for work the very next morning.

He managed to return home perhaps twice a year at most. Throughout their long years of marriage, she never once witnessed a smile on his face; every meeting was just another look at his grim, coffin-like expression.

Trapped in constant friction with her sister-in-law, she lived a life of neglect and endured countless indignities within that household.

What kind of union was this? She was essentially living as a widow, and her entry into the Qin Family felt more like becoming a glorified servant than a wife.

Six months into the marriage, the situation worsened when they brought home the son of a colleague; despite still being a virgin, she was forced to act as a stepmother to another person's child. Furthermore, Qin Yang showed more affection to that boy than to their own flesh and blood.

That ungrateful child eventually caused Qin Yang to divorce her, leaving her reputation in tatters.

Meanwhile, Li Guangyuan—the man her family had once dismissed—proved to be a man of great vision. Shortly after his marriage, his business ventures took off, growing larger with each passing day.

In her previous existence, she never achieved the status of an official's wife, yet Lin Chuxia became a wealthy socialite, residing in a western-style villa, driving her own car, and sporting the latest fashions—looking more elegant than any official's spouse.

Having been reborn, she refused to tread that same path or dive back into that pit of fire. It was finally time for Lin Jiayi to taste the life of a wealthy lady instead.

With those thoughts in mind, a realization struck her. "Mom, you have to increase my dowry."

"Very well, you may take the full eighty yuan," Mother Lin replied, having no desire to hoard the dowry funds intended for her firstborn daughter.

However, Lin Jiayi remained unsatisfied. "Eighty isn't nearly enough; I need two hundred." She was thinking of the capital Li Guangyuan would require for his future business. Had she not known her mother was the type to take but never give, she would have even tried to claim the three hundred yuan from the Qin Family.

As expected, Mother Lin’s expression darkened. "Your younger brother is growing up, and I must set aside funds for his future wedding."

"My brother is only fifteen. Give me the money now. By the time he is ready to wed, Guangyuan might already be a success. We could easily cover the costs of his wedding then..."

Lin Chuxia lay quietly in bed. The old house had thin walls, allowing the muffled sounds of the neighboring conversation to drift in, yet she felt a strange sense of tranquility.

She was well aware that Lin Jiayi’s life in the previous timeline had been miserable due to an absent husband, but for her, such an arrangement was ideal.

What she desired was a space of her own, not a husband's presence.

Her fingers brushed the skin where her ring used to sit; as she shut her eyes, her mind drifted into a hidden realm.

Following her rebirth, she realized that the precious ancient ring she had purchased at an auction in her past life had fused with her soul, granting her access to a private space.

This space was an exact replica of the private villa she had owned in her former life, though an ancient water well now stood in the villa's courtyard.

Lin Chuxia recalled reading novels about things like a Space Spiritual Spring. Earlier that afternoon, her curiosity led her to confirm that the well water truly possessed restorative properties, leaving her feeling light and energized even after a day of labor.

It was because of this miraculous advantage that she resolved to move cautiously. She wasn't the only one who had returned to the past, and there was no telling what hidden cards Lin Jiayi might hold.

.........

Once the marriage arrangements were finalized, the house became a whirlwind of activity.

Preparing a dowry was a simple affair in the countryside. Families with money might craft a few new cotton quilts or buy fabric for new outfits. Those with less would simply bundle up the quilts they were already using, pack some old clothes, and call it a day.

The luxury of "three turns and one snap" was a standard only city dwellers obsessed over. In her past life, Lin Chuxia hadn't even dared to hope for such things.

She held onto one firm belief: it is better to rely on oneself than on anyone else. While others fantasized about marrying into wealth, she intended to create her own fortune.

In her previous life, she had been rich, but she was always known as Mrs. Li. In this life, she wanted the world to recognize the name Lin Chuxia.

A voice, both familiar and distant, called out from beyond the gate, "Chuxia, Chuxia..." A figure soon hurried into the yard.

Warmth filled Lin Chuxia's heart as she recognized her dear friend, Sun Lanlan.

They had been inseparable since childhood. Most village children preferred the company of her older sister, who was pampered, wore the best clothes, and spoke eloquently.

Only Sun Lanlan ignored the popular opinion; she had always remained loyal to Chuxia and held a low opinion of her elder sister.

Finding Lin Chuxia alone, Sun Lanlan skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

"Why am I hearing rumors that you're marrying into the Qin Family? Weren't you supposed to be matched with Li Guangyuan? How did it change so suddenly? Did Lin Jiayi pull some kind of trick?"

Although the Qin family was wealthier than the Li family, the abrupt swap made Sun Lanlan uneasy. She knew Lin Jiayi wasn't the type to do anyone a favor.

Lin Chuxia noticed her friend's raised brows, looking ready to charge into battle on her behalf. She couldn't suppress a small laugh.

Lanlan was truly a wonderful soul.

In the previous life, Sun Lanlan had married a year after her. Their lives had been tragically similar—except while Li Guangyuan only became abusive after finding success, Sun Lanlan's husband had started his cruelty just days after the wedding.

Back then, domestic violence was common; many believed that if a woman was struck, she must have done something to earn it. The logic was that a man wouldn't hit a wife who did everything correctly.

Sun Lanlan had three protective older brothers and had been the darling of her family. Naturally, her kin didn't let the abuse go unpunished.

Her husband was cunning; whenever he beat her and she threatened to leave, he would weep, beg for mercy, and even drop to his knees in repentance.

Sun Lanlan was soft-hearted, but after one particularly bloody beating, she finally fled to her parents.

Her brothers were furious and gave the man a severe thrashing, forcing him to swear he would never touch her again before they let her return.

But the moment Sun Lanlan stepped back into his house, she was met with a brutal assault right at the entrance—worse than anything before, resulting in a miscarriage.

She hadn't even known she was pregnant before the child was lost to his violence. To make it worse, he locked her away, cutting her off from her family entirely.

In the depths of her despair, Sun Lanlan had taken her own life with pesticide.

Seeing Chuxia smiling now, Sun Lanlan’s scowl deepened. "You're still laughing? This is your whole life we're talking about! If Lin Jiayi is behind this, I'll take it to the Party Secretary. We'll get you some justice."

Lin Chuxia reached out, taking her hand as they sat on the bed. "There's no need for that. I am marrying Qin Yang of my own free will."

Sun Lanlan was speechless. "Have you even met the man? Chuxia, think about this. Li Guangyuan seemed decent enough, and at least we've seen him. Qin Yang works in a different city, barely visits twice a year, and he's significantly older than you. There must be a reason he's still single at his age."

She feared that Lin Jiayi had discovered some dark secret about Qin Yang and used it to force the swap on Chuxia.

"I haven't met him," Lin Chuxia replied calmly, "but I am perfectly willing to marry him."