She got pregnant after the swap marriage, and the scumbag's family regretted it so much they cr

Gao Yan couldn't help but reach to his side and grasp Lu Huan's right hand tightly.

Lu Huan gave him a slight smile, gesturing towards his other side. Gao Yan then realized that Lu Huan had already prepared a solution.

He lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out first. Seeing that the women had followed him all the way to his doorstep, he felt rather helpless. He made up his mind that he had to have a good talk with the clan chief; these women were also very capable workers and shouldn't be left to do nothing.

Unbeknownst to them, Gao Yan was already scheming about what tasks to assign them.

He jumped off the mule cart and gave them a sheepish smile: "Thank you for reminding me, aunties. Yesterday, Mother specifically asked what gift my second brother and I were planning to give him, since his birthday is coming up soon."

My wife and I happened to be in town, so we bought them on the way back, which is why we were a little late.

"Oh dear! Ah Yan's wife has only been married a few days, and Zhou Shi is really something else, chasing after her sister-in-law to buy things for her brother-in-law, tsk tsk tsk!"

"That's right! Ayan is already over twenty, and Zhou Shi hasn't even arranged a marriage for him yet. If he hadn't gotten into the wrong bridal sedan chair that day, he probably wouldn't have been able to get married, let alone celebrate his birthday!"

Hearing the increasingly strange conversation outside, Zhou rushed out of the courtyard, finding Gao Yan and his wife utterly displeasing.

"What? You've been out all day and haven't come home, and I can't even complain a little? I've never seen a wife who can't stay at home and is always running around outside, not being a virtuous wife!"

Lu Ruyi stood beside Zhou Shi, extremely smug, her face beaming with schadenfreude.

If Zhou's accusations were to get out, Lu Huan would have no chance of survival.

The smile on Gao Yan's face vanished instantly, and he retorted, "Summoned by the Prince's mansion, does Huan'er dare to disobey? Since Mother has said so, even if I am accused of disrespect, Huan'er will never dare to step out of the house again!"

Zhou was just saying it for the sake of it; she wouldn't really dare to take such a risk. She was still hoping that Gao Zhongbao would bring glory to the family!

She raised her eyebrows high, her expression fierce but her heart weak: "Don't try to intimidate me with the Prince's mansion! Can't I, as her mother-in-law, even say a few words to her?"

At this moment, Lu Huan also helped Gao Yan by the shoulder, jumped off the mule cart, and her eyes were filled with tears.

“I would never dare to agree to my mother-in-law’s words. Yesterday, my mother-in-law said that it was my brother-in-law’s birthday, and as the eldest sister-in-law, I should give him something in return.”

Today, on my way into town, I didn't forget my mother-in-law's instructions. First, I went to the study, then to the pastry shop. Because I didn't know my mother-in-law's and brother-in-law's preferences, I hesitated for a long time, which is why I was delayed.

I was acting entirely out of the goodness of my heart, but my mother-in-law misunderstood me like this. I can't live like this anymore!

As Lu Huan spoke, she covered her face and pretended to crash into the doorpost.

"Oh dear! Zhou Shi has no conscience! She's already driving this young girl to her death after she just married into the family. Won't the reputation of our Gao Family Village be ruined!"

"That's right! Ah Yan, what are you standing there for! Hurry up and hug your wife!"

"What an honest girl. I wish she would marry into my family."

"Fifth Sister-in-law, stop daydreaming. With your bunch of ugly ducklings, the young lady of the house wouldn't even look at them!"

"Kong Shufen! I'll sew your stinking mouth shut!"

In the midst of the argument, Gao Yan took a long stride and pulled Lu Huan into a tight embrace.

In the eyes of the older women, Lu Huan's will to die remained undiminished, and he struggled desperately in Gao Yan's arms, almost unstoppable.

Only Gao Yan could see that his young wife in his arms was laughing so hard she was almost bursting out laughing. He pinched the soft flesh under Lu Huan's ribs, reminding her not to give herself away.

Zhou's face darkened. She didn't care if these women said a few words to her, but how could she let Gao Zhongbao's reputation be ruined!

Lu Huan's outburst put her in a difficult position. These words were like spitting out saliva; they felt good when spoken, but taking them back felt like swallowing a fly—disgusting. Yet, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and swallow them back.

"You silly girl, I was just saying it casually. That's how people in the village are; they don't mean it. Don't take it so seriously next time!"

Lu Huan's voice came from Gao Yan's arms: "If anyone dares to talk about my sister like that..."

"Anyone who dares to talk about Manting, I'll tear their mouth apart!" Zhou blurted out almost immediately, then regretted it.

The fifth sister-in-law, who was Zhou's cousin-in-law, made sarcastic remarks to her: "This is what people mean when they say that you only know the pain when the knife cuts you!"

"That's right!" Everyone else burst into laughter.

Zhou felt targeted by all the women in the village. She glared at Gao Yan with dissatisfaction, then noticed two boxes of pastries placed in front of the carriage curtain out of the corner of her eye. She quickly stepped forward, picked up the boxes, and left.

Gao Yan wasn't about to let her off so easily, and shouted at her retreating figure, "Mother, there's a box of pastries inside that's for the clan chief!"

Zhou paused as she entered the courtyard, muttering curses under her breath, and reluctantly shoved one of the boxes into Lu Ruyi's hands: "Take this out and give it to him!"

Lu Ruyi was initially somewhat reluctant, but when she saw the tall and handsome Gao Yan, a sense of unwillingness welled up in her heart.

Gao Zhongbao was at best handsome, but he was nowhere near as good-looking as Gao Yan, who had been given a makeover by Lu Huan.

Why can't Lu Huan marry Gao Zhongbao, but can turn around and marry a handsome man like Gao Yan! She should marry Li Rong and experience the torment she suffered in her previous life!

Gao Yan could sense the malice emanating from Lu Ruyi. He watched as Lu Ruyi gracefully walked towards him, feeling incredibly fortunate that his wife was still standing between them.

Lu Ruyi turned to the side, nodded slightly, revealing a section of her fair neck, and softly called out, "Big Brother~"

The affected manner of her appearance was unbearable for the older women around her.

"I think Zhou is completely blind. When other young couples go out together, they're accused of being unfaithful; but this woman flirts with her brother-in-law right in front of us, and she thinks she's a good person!"

"Hey! It's not like you're only just starting out as her sister-in-law!"

In their attitude towards Zhou, Kong Shufen and her sister-in-law unusually maintained the same attitude.

Lu Ruyi deliberately blushed and gazed shyly at Gao Yan. No one could resist such a pose.

But Gao Yan was a simpleton; he not only remained unmoved, but also took a step back while holding Lu Huan.

"You can put her on the mule cart. I'm holding Huan'er, I can't take her!"

Lu Ruyi almost choked on her own blood. Listening to the increasingly outrageous comments from the aunties around her, she gave an awkward laugh, put the pastry box on the mule cart, and fled in panic.

After the show was over, the older women naturally couldn't stay there in the cold wind any longer, so they all bid farewell to Gao Yan.

"Ayan, your wife is a good woman, don't listen to your mother's nonsense!"

Gao Yan thanked them one by one and then told them about Lu Huan's plan to send lucky cakes to each household.

"Huan'er said she felt bad for not being able to properly toast the elders on her wedding day. So she ordered lucky cakes from the biggest pastry shop in Yanjing, one pack for each family. We'll personally visit them then, so just wait!"

Kong Shufen glanced at her fifth sister-in-law and asked, "Our family didn't divide the property, so how should we calculate this?"