Countdown to Awakening

Luo Xinxin came in when she heard the sound.

"Mom," she replied, with a look of joy that was hard to conceal.

Seeing this, Luo's mother knew why she was so happy. This child, not even married yet, has such little potential... Look at her.

Then she smiled and couldn't help teasing, "Are you so happy? Xinxin, it's different when you're about to get married. Look at how useless you are. Be more restrained and don't let people think you are asking for it... Let me tell you, I wasn't like this when I married your dad. Look how happy you are? Hahaha." She couldn't help laughing.

Then she added, "Xinxin, look, I have something for you."

When Luo Xinxin heard this, an expression of anticipation immediately appeared on her face.

After she finished speaking, Luo's mother took the wedding dress and compared it on her daughter, nodded and said, "Well, it's not bad. Her figure is similar to mine back then, so it fits her perfectly."

After seeing the wedding dress, Luo Xinxin's face became expressionless. Luo's mother saw her concerns and added:

"Xinxin, don't blame Mom. It's not that Mom and Dad didn't buy you a wedding dress, but we simply don't have the money. The betrothal gift from your in-laws...is going to be used to marry your younger brother. So we can't afford to buy you clothes. Although marriage is a major event in life, you should also be sensible. Some things are better left alone if you can. Happiness is the most important thing. Don't pursue these material things. They're all illusory. Your in-laws also said they hope we can keep things simple. Neither of our families has much money, and your younger brother is still waiting to get married...there are many other expenses. Xinxin, you have to understand Mom. Okay?"

After she finished speaking, Luo's mother showed an embarrassed expression. Even if she had money, she couldn't give it to Luo Xinxin. If she used it, her son would have to share some of the money when he got married. If she took a share of this and that, her son would have nothing left.

I didn't prepare any money for the two girls in the first place, so this is obviously over budget...

Luo Xinxin looked at the wrinkled but not worn wedding dress her mother had worn. It looked nice, but she didn't like it.

Although Luo Xinxin felt somewhat reluctant and disappointed, she pretended to be happy in order to please her mother. She also reached out to touch the wedding dress.

Luo Xinxin said with a forced smile: "Uh... Mom, you are so thoughtful. You are right. Our family doesn't have much money. It's already very nice for me to wear this dress. Why should I mind?" She tried her best to hide her reluctance.

Even if she doesn't like it, she has to pretend to like it. After all, this is the best thing her family can give her. If she still dislikes it, it may be gone.

She thought about it and realized, yes, the family money was originally meant for her younger brother. After all, "raising a son is a way to provide for one's old age," and in the future, only her younger brother would be able to provide for their parents. She and Luo Dandan would eventually get married, so the money would be useless. It would be better to just give it to her younger brother.

And most people in the village are like this, and no one dares to complain.

"You really don't blame mom? Mom really has no choice. Our family is poor... It's just a little money, and it has to be left to your brother. You also know that you and your sister can't support us in our old age... But fortunately, you and your sister are sensible and know to get married early. That is filial piety to me and your dad. Otherwise, this little money may not be left to your brother... Mom is very happy to have you and Dandan, two sensible daughters." After saying this, Luo's mother smiled.

Although she felt a little guilty, she didn't feel anything else. There were so many people in the village who treated their daughters like this.

Luo Xinxin pursed her lips after hearing this. It was the same rhetoric again. She couldn't refute anything.

Luo's mother put down her wedding dress, smiled, and stroked Luo Xinxin's hair. "Xinxin, I know you blame me in your heart. But there's nothing we can do about it. Mom and Dad can't ignore your brother. He's the only child in the family... Can you please be considerate of Mom and Dad?"

After she finished speaking, Luo's mother sighed. Only she knew how fake this was.

Luo Xinxin could only force a smile and say, "Mom, I know. This is actually for our own good... I know everything. I won't dislike this wedding dress. I also know that the money is for my brother. I won't say anything..."

Of course, she was completely unwilling. She knew her family wasn't that poor, nor was it like Luo's mother said, with only a little left for her brother. In fact, there was still enough money to buy her a better dowry, but she only got a small amount of Luo's mother's dowry. Even that was just the beginning... Even with such a large dowry, so much money, they still had to leave it to her brother, always saying: You and your sister will get married in the future, so you can take less.

Although she and Luo Dandan will get married in the future, and she also knows that she and her sister will not be able to support them in their old age, her parents can't be so partial...

But she had no choice, because her parents had treated them this way since they were young. When there was anything delicious or fun, her younger brother would play with it first...

During festivals and Chinese New Year, all the delicious meat went into her brother's bowl, leaving her and Luo Dandan with only a small share. Her parents also said it was better for girls to eat more vegetables for better nutrition.

When she was a child, her family was poor and did not have much savings. Her younger brother could usually eat eggs, but she and Luo Dandan did not.

There were three eggs, one for each of them, but they all went to her younger brother. She and Dandan also wanted to eat eggs, but they never got any.

My parents just told me that girls shouldn't eat too much meat, and that eating more vegetables would be nutritious... and would make them prettier. And girls shouldn't get too fat, or they'd have no future husbands who would want them...

Even if there were delicious food at home, milk or other snacks given by other relatives, they all belonged to my brother. They would never belong to them, and I would never leave them anything.

Sometimes, she would secretly give her brother better food behind closed doors without letting him tell them.

Now that conditions are better, all the money in the family belongs to her younger brother, and they can't get a penny. Even their dowries are almost not enough for girls. She only has a wedding dress given by her mother and a few quilts.

Girls don't have dowries when they get married because their families don't have the means, but their families aren't particularly poor... and they can afford to buy them a better dowry.

Even though they had been wronged since childhood, she and Luo Dandan could only pretend to be magnanimous, understanding and forgiving of their parents. Their parents said that they were the older sisters and should give in to their younger brothers.

But even if she understood and forgiven her parents, who would understand her and Luo Dandan?