Chapter 3
Fang Min had never dated before. If her family hadn’t been pushing her so hard, she wouldn’t have gone on blind dates in her early twenties.
But Li Rui seemed eager, and he didn’t seem like a bad person, so she’d muddled her way into agreeing to date him.
Within two months, both sets of parents met to discuss the wedding.
Fang Min’s parents asked for 88,000 yuan in bride price.
The moment they named the figure, war broke out.
Li Rui’s family pleaded poverty and played on their sympathy. Fang Min’s family wouldn’t budge. The meeting ended badly.
Onstage, Li Rui grew agitated along with the scene. Pointing at the screen, he shouted:
“Look, everyone! This is how she bullied my poor parents! Eighty-eight thousand! That money’s our family’s lifeblood! Her family was selling their daughter!”
Two days later, Fang Min came to see him and said she wanted to break up.
“You want to break up because I can’t afford that much bride price? What makes you think you’re such a prize? Are you selling yourself like a thing?”
Fang Min’s eyes were red. “It’s my family… Never mind. We haven’t been together very long anyway. Splitting up will be better for everyone.”
“Fine. We’re done. I’m not putting up with that crap!”
Li Rui turned away with a flourish.
As soon as he got home, he asked a matchmaker to find someone else. Months passed. Either the women weren’t interested in him, or their families asked for even more bride price. After doing the sums, his family decided Fang Min was still the best value and sent him back to make up with her.
His mother instructed him, “Find a way to get her pregnant. Then we can bargain the price down. We won’t refuse to pay altogether. Ten thousand should be about right.”
He smiled confidently. “Mom, I thought of that ages ago.”
In the corner, Fang Min shot to her feet. Pointing at him, her voice shook. “You—you were planning to… that day?”
On-screen, Li Rui called Fang Min, pretending to cry. He said he missed her and wanted to see her one more time. Her heart softened, and she agreed.
Before she arrived, Li Rui drugged the alcohol.
But Fang Min didn’t drink it. She comforted him for a little while, then got up to leave.
Li Rui hurriedly grabbed at her.
Struggling free, she said, “My family found someone else for me. We’re already engaged.”
“What?” Li Rui was shocked, then furious. “Have you no shame? How long have we been apart? You’re shameless.”
Fang Min said nothing.
“Did he pay the bride price?”
Fang Min nodded.
“Get out! You should all die! Every one of you!” Li Rui roared, his eyes bulging.
Frightened, Fang Min hurried away.
Li Rui seethed alone in his room. Just then, an advertisement for the World Customization Bureau came on television. His eyes lit up.
The video paused.
The host told Li Rui, “Next is a preview of your life in the customized world. Of course, to preserve your experience, your memory of this preview will be erased the instant you enter the parallel world.”
Li Rui nodded casually. Glancing at Fang Min, he curled his lips into a smile.