Switched Marriage: The Coddled Little Wife Chapter 5 Marriage (Part 1)

Chuxia found it unexpected that the Li Family, despite living in the adjacent village, arrived even later than the Qin Family.

In her past life, the Li Family’s tardiness was due to them scrambling to borrow a three hundred yuan bride price. That amount was a fortune for them, and they only managed to pull it together on the actual day of the engagement.

In this lifetime, even though Lin Jiayi had lowered the bride price to a mere eighty yuan, they were still significantly late. It was clear that her stingy and difficult mother-in-law wasn't just targeting her specifically; it was simply her nature.

Other than the delay, the engagement proceeded without a hitch. In addition to the three hundred yuan, the Qin Family provided six yards of fabric. The Li Family also offered cloth—eight yards in total—which filled Lin Jiayi with a sense of triumph.

Chuxia, however, saw through the facade. Since the three hundred yuan had been slashed to eighty, the Li Family was still getting an incredible deal, even with a few extra yards of fabric thrown in.

The day of the wedding arrived in the blink of an eye. Local traditions dictated that the bride’s family host a gathering for friends and kin the day prior, making the Lin household exceptionally busy.

Although lavish wedding feasts weren't the norm for this period, the Lin Family still arranged several tables to celebrate two daughters marrying at once.

That evening, once the final guests had departed, Mother Lin called a family meeting.

"Your father and I have finalized tomorrow's plans. Since the Li Family is closer, we will see Jiayi off first. Lin Chu, you are to stay inside and wait patiently. Once your elder sister has been sent off, it will be your turn. Don't stress over the details; we've coordinated with the Qin Family to arrive later so that both ceremonies can happen without any overlap."

In this region, it was standard for the bride’s parents to stay behind rather than follow the procession to the groom’s home.

However, some families chose to show extra respect for their daughter by accompanying her to the groom's house, a custom known as 'walking the new kin.' Mother Lin intended to perform this gesture for her elder daughter at the Li Family home.

Lin Jiayi was quick to agree, saying, "I'll listen to mom."

Chuxia nodded as well, "Okay."

In her previous life, Lin Jiayi had also been the first to depart. Her mother had used the excuse of the Qin Family's distance to justify the elder sister leaving first.

Back then, when the Li Family finally arrived to collect the bride, she had been left waiting alone and awkward until the afternoon. Her parents hadn't returned until they were exhausted from the day's festivities, leaving her to follow the Li Family’s party in a daze.

Because of that neglect, her in-laws had looked down on her from the very start. If she hadn't been so submissive that her mother-in-law couldn't find a single flaw, and if she hadn't pushed Guang Yuan to start a business that brought wealth to the Li Family, her life would have been unimaginably miserable.

Shaking off those memories, she listened to Mother Lin’s continued rambling for a bit before retreating to her room for the night.

Lin Jiayi was in high spirits, repeatedly trying on the new garments she would wear the following day. She turned to Chuxia and asked, "Which of these looks better on me? These department store clothes are all so similar, there's not much difference when you put them on. They aren't as nice as the ones you sew; yours always fit so perfectly. I'm just too uncoordinated with a needle; I have to rely on mom buying ready-made ones. If I had your talent, I wouldn't need to buy two outfits at once; I could just sew whatever I wanted."

Despite her words, her tone was one of boasting rather than genuine admiration.

Chuxia let out a yawn. "Mom is thinking of your future. She knows that once you're married into the Li Family, getting new clothes won't be easy, so she's stocking you up now. Who can say when you'll get another new outfit? If I were you, I’d have mom use that fabric to make even more clothes right now, or there might not be anything left for you later."

With the wedding only hours away, and knowing she was spared from marrying Guang Yuan this time, Chuxia offered this small piece of advice to Lin Jiayi.

Guang Yuan had two sisters, and neither of them were pleasant individuals.

Lin Jiayi didn't perceive the kindness in Chuxia’s words; the more nonchalant Chuxia acted, the more Jiayi assumed she was rotting with envy.

What did she mean by 'nothing left for her'?

Her dowry belonged to her; how could it possibly vanish?

She wanted to argue, but seeing that Chuxia had already drifted off, she gave a cold snort and went back to admiring her new clothes in the mirror.

Chuxia was eventually woken by a commotion. It was still dark, but the house was already buzzing with activity.

Lin Jiayi was already up and dressing herself in a red and purple plaid coat that bore a striking resemblance to one Lin Chuxia had once sewn.

Lin Chuxia also reached for her new wedding attire. As Lin Jiayi finished styling her hair and turned around, she was momentarily stunned by the sight of her younger sister.

For years, her sister had never owned anything new. As the eldest, new clothes were always tailored to Jiayi’s size and passed down to her sister once they were worn out.

In her mind, her sister was always scrawny and unkempt. But in these new clothes, she looked elegant and slender rather than frail, and even her usually unruly hair looked sleek. Was it the red plaid that made her look so radiant?

Lin Jiayi looked at her own reflection and then back at Lin Chuxia.

Jiayi looked the same as always, her complexion appearing somewhat sallow, while Chuxia looked vibrant with rosy cheeks, bright teeth, and glossy black hair. Her skin seemed remarkably pale and clear.

A frown deepened on Jiayi’s face.

She had always been envious of Lin Chuxia’s fair skin. Despite having the same parents, Chuxia had been born with skin that stayed white no matter how much she worked in the sun, while Jiayi could never seem to brighten her own complexion.

"Go change your clothes. You aren't allowed to wear that one," Lin Jiayi snapped irritably.

Lin Chuxia didn't even bother to look at her. "I'm sorry, but this is the only outfit I have. If anyone needs to change, it’s you."

Lin Jiayi became frantic. "If you don't change right now, I'm calling mom!"

"And what will you tell her? That we're wearing the same thing and I look better than you? Are you scared that Li Guangyuan will regret the switch the moment he sees me?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Lin Jiayi shouted, refusing to admit that Lin Chuxia was indeed the prettier of the two at that moment.

Having lived together their whole lives, Lin Jiayi had never considered Lin Chuxia a beauty. Now, her twenty-year-old belief that she was the most beautiful in the family was being shattered.

Her confidence in the marriage swap relied on her belief that she was more attractive than Lin Chuxia. She was certain that if Li Guangyuan saw them together, he would choose her. Once the swap was finalized, she planned to live a better life and capture his heart completely.

She couldn't permit Lin Chuxia to outshine her.

Lin Chuxia let out a mocking laugh. "You're overthinking things. I'm a bride today; it's not like I'll be out making appearances. What does it matter what I wear? We aren't going to be seen together."

Lin Jiayi paused, realizing that was true. She had let the girl's behavior rattle her. "Fine, then. But stay out of sight. If you ruin my luck today, I won't forgive you, and neither will mom."

"Don't worry. I wouldn't step outside even if you begged me to."

If she had her way, she would never lay eyes on that deceitful man for as long as she lived.

Despite the assurance, Lin Jiayi remained anxious and made sure Mother Lin went to give Lin Chuxia another warning.

Before long, neighbors and friends began to fill the house with noise, and Sun Lanlan arrived with the crowd.

Upon hearing that Lin Jiayi was leaving first, Sun Lanlan patted her chest, promising to stay by her side and witness her marriage, just as she had in the previous life.

Chuxia felt a wave of genuine emotion. "Lanlan, you're the best. When you find someone you like, you have to tell me so I can check them out for you. I'll be there to support you on your wedding day too." She vowed silently that she would never let her friend marry that monster again.

Sun Lanlan gave a warm smile and agreed.

As the two friends spoke, the celebratory mood outside intensified. Firecrackers began to pop, signaling the arrival of the Li Family’s wedding party.