The Substitute Bride and the Cripple

Chapter 5: What Proof Do You Have?

Feng Lu was plump, which had displeased the old man, but Jiang Ming had assured him that her heavy figure was a symbol of good luck; plus, she was less likely to attract trouble that way, so they could feel safe leaving her around Jiang Shaocheng. It had been the only thing able to convince his father. But this woman, with her slender figure and pretty face, was not Feng Lu!

“You must be joking, brother. I personally helped pick out your bride; do you think I wouldn’t recognize her? I know Feng Lu’s no real looker, but that doesn’t mean you can go about cheating on her, on the first day of your marriage nonetheless.”

Feng Lu had been Jiang Ming’s choice of bride for his brother? Tang Qiu hid her scorn for this man’s petty malice. And yet… why wasn’t Jiang Shaocheng denying the accusation? It would do them both no good for word to spread about her husband cheating on his wife as a newlywed.

Tang Qiu bent down so she was eye level with Jiang Shaocheng. “What should we do? He doesn’t believe that we’re married.”

With half his features obscured by the mask, all she could see was his eyes. Their dark depths were guileless and innocent.

Tang Qiu’s thoughts raced silently. What should I do? She could brandish the marriage certificate as proof. But she didn’t believe that her husband was incapable of coming up with such a simple solution; the wounds to his face and legs hadn’t affected his mind. Did this mean that he wanted her to demonstrate the evidence of their marriage instead?

Only… how was she supposed to do that?

Jiang Shaocheng studied the flicker of emotions across her face with some enjoyment, watching her oscillate between being nonplussed and bewildered. This little wife of his was an interesting one, he noted silently.

Right then, a gleam of inspiration lit up Tang Qiu’s eyes. She pulled down Jiang Shaocheng’s mask and kissed him on the lips. “Is this proof enough?”

Jiang Shaocheng stared at her, slightly dazed. He had planned to present Tang Qiu with a challenge and let her take charge of finding a solution, but he hadn’t expected her to be quite so straightforward. Her soft lips pressed against his, and just like that, they were gone, leaving him with no time to even react to their flavor. “It is,” he said, helpless to argue.

Jiang Ming took in the sight of both of them, then the hideous burn scars littering his brother’s face. Disgusted, he lifted a hand to shield his eyes. “That doesn’t seem right, brother. Can a mere kiss prove that this woman is your wife? If I take her to bed, does that mean I can start calling her my daughter-in-law?”

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Shaocheng’s expression darkened, his gentle gaze turning dangerous. “What did you say, Jiang Ming?”

Uncle Wang had served Jiang Shaocheng for many years, and he knew his master was truly enraged. He retrieved the knife Tang Qiu had discarded on the chopping board and seized Jiang Ming’s arm. “You dare to disrespect my young master’s wife?” he growled. “Are you that eager to lose this arm of yours?”

Jiang Ming glanced at the knife, glinting in the light, and sneered, “I was just joking, brother, don’t take it so seriously.” He pulled himself free of Uncle Wang’s grasp, taking care not to make any sudden movements, mindful of the danger he was in. “I was merely curious when you had a change of bride,” he continued, as though explaining himself.

At the mention of her being a substitute bride, something flashed in Tang Qiu’s eyes. Feeling her tense up, Jiang Shaocheng patted her hand reassuringly. “You and our father were the ones in charge of planning the wedding. Now that you’re telling me I married a different bride than the one you chose, what do you expect me to say?”

“Well…” Jiang Ming sputtered. The wedding had been arranged by him, that much was true, but he didn’t know where this new bride had come from! Unless it was the Fengs behind this trickery…

Jiang Shaocheng added, “I married whoever I underwent the marriage rites with, and so Tang Qiu is my wife, and your sister-in-law.”

Tang Qiu looked at him in surprise. Did this mean he had accepted her?

Jiang Ming was on the verge of exploding in rage. He had wanted to find an ugly, overweight shrew for Jiang Shaocheng’s wife as an insult to that sickly bastard. Instead, his elder brother had gained such a beautiful woman out of the bargain!

“In that case, my congratulations, brother,” he gritted out. “But don’t forget: your wife still needs to return to visit her parents after the wedding. Since you’re in poor health, making it inconvenient to travel, why don’t I accompany my sister-in-law instead?”

He was going to send this woman back to the Feng family and demand how exactly she had come to replace Feng Lu as a bride!

Uncle Wang could have laughed out loud at Jiang Ming. How little must he value his life, to infringe on his brother’s authority as a husband like that? He was practically laying his own head on the executioner’s block.

Hearing Jiang Ming’s offer, Tang Qiu objected fiercely, “There’s no need to trouble yourself, Second Young Master. If it’s inconvenient for Shaocheng to travel, I can go back myself.”