Chapter 8: What Kind of Good Daughter Can This Family Raise?

The next morning, the Jiang Family's entire household rose early, began packing, and prepared to go make a Proposal.

Jiang Jianguo and Li Huijuan changed into respectable clothes, and Jiang Nainai also specially wore a new dark‑red coat, her face beaming with joy.

The most eye‑catching was still Jiang Ran; the boy had, for once, neatly combed his usually messy, slightly spiky hair.

Not only that, he wore a brand‑new white shirt and black trousers; although the rebellious spark still lingered in his brows, he looked considerably more spirited, his eyes betraying an uncontainable mix of anticipation and nervousness.

A three‑wheel cart was parked at the doorway, its load piled with the Betrothal Gifts purchased last night.

Snack boxes stamped with a big red "double happiness" character, a whole pork leg wrapped in red paper, bright fabric, two bottles of fine wine, and even a brand‑new Semiconductor Radio!

Such a display nowadays is truly top‑notch, and the surrounding neighbors kept peeking out, murmuring among themselves.

"Oh dear, what is the old Jiang Family up to? Such a big show?"

"You don't know? Their Chaos Demon King, Jiang Ran, is about to take a wife!"

"Is it for real? Which girl is that desperate?"

"I heard she's from the Chengnan Mechanical Factory side, surname Su."

"Wow! So many good things! That Su family girl really fell into a Fortune Nest!"

"Fortune Nest? I think it's a fire pit. Who doesn't know what kind of character the Jiang boy is? He fights and causes trouble all day, lazy and idle; what good life could a girl have marrying him?"

"Exactly, it's a pity these fine things are being fed to a scoundrel like Da Zhuang…"

"Sigh, Da Zhuang really hit dog‑shit luck; although his character is rotten, his daughter somehow manages to find a match!"

The chatter contained envy, jealousy, and also a sense of pity for the Su family girl who had never been met.

Jiang Ran vaguely heard a few remarks, his complexion darkened, but thinking of soon meeting Su Ruan, he forced the displeasure down.

What do these people know? Jiang Ran is the most doting son‑in‑law!

Jiang Jiaojiao also stepped out neatly dressed; she had taken a day off specifically to see her brother's "celestial" match with her own eyes.

She looked at the cart of Betrothal Gifts, muttering, "Dad and Mom really splurged; let's hope they don't lose the bride and waste troops later."

The party marched grandly toward the South City Mechanical Factory Family Courtyard.

The closer they got to the Su family, the more dilapidated the surroundings became.

Low one‑story houses, narrow filthy corridors, and the air was filled with an unpleasant odor.

Jiang Jianguo's brows twitched slightly; the "Old Su" in his memory didn't seem to live in this area.

Li Huijuan and Jiang Nainai also felt uneasy; this environment… could it raise a good girl?

Jiang Jiaojiao silently sneered, her impression of the never‑met "Su Ruan" dropping a few more points.

After much effort locating the Su family's squeaky broken wooden door, before they could knock, Da Zhuang and Wang Juhua, having received the news, came out with grinning faces, their obsequious smiles almost oozing oil.

"Oh dear! In‑laws, mother‑in‑law, matriarch! You've finally arrived! Please come in, please come in; the house is modest, do not disdain it!"

Da Zhuang bowed and nodded, yet his eyes were glued to the overflowing OneThree Wheel Cart of Betrothal Gifts, his greed barely concealed.

Wang Juhua, rubbing her hands beside him, raised her voice, "Exactly, exactly! We've been waiting for stars and moons, and finally you're here! Our RuanRuan, it really took eight lifetimes of good fortune to find a match as great as Jiang Ran!"

The Jiang family, made uneasy by the over‑enthusiasm, forced smiles and entered the house.

Inside, it was even more cramped and dim, the furniture shabby, and the air mixed with low‑grade smoke, alcohol, and an indefinable musty smell.

Jiang Jianguo surveyed Da Zhuang, who was bowing and handing over cigarettes, and the more he looked, the more something felt off; this oily, lecherous demeanor was nowhere like the honest "Old Su" he remembered.

He couldn't help but whisper, "Brother Da Zhuang, you… were you previously in the Mechanical Factory's third workshop?"

Da Zhuang was startled, then sneered, "How could I, Factory Director Jiang? I… I used to do odd jobs in the logistics department, and later… later the performance was poor, so they… optimized me away."

His words were vague, his gaze flickering.

Jiang Jianguo felt a sudden "thud" in his heart, instantly understanding!

He had completely mistaken the person!

Da Zhuang was not an honest worker at all, but the factory's notorious lazybones and drunkard, rumored to gamble a few rounds, his reputation foul.

His complexion instantly turned sour.

Li Huijuan and Jiang Nainai also sensed something amiss; looking at the shabby surroundings and the obviously unkind parents, their joy cooled halfway, leaving only deep worry.

What good girl could such a family raise? Ranran, don't be truly deceived!

Jiang Jiaojiao watched with a cold eye, her mind filled with sneering laughter.

Sure enough, just as she thought, parents of this greedy, obsequious sort could not raise a daughter to any good place.

Probably just a hollow beauty, or someone with cunning ways who could dazzle her foolish brother into a dizzy spell.

Su Ruan still? Hmph, squandering yesterday's righteous girl's name in vain!

She even couldn't help whispering to the nearby Jiang Ran, "Look at this! What kind of family is this! You've chosen such a…"

Before she could finish, the inner door curtain was pulled aside.

A slender figure stepped out.

In an instant, every gaze in the room converged there.

Jiang Jiaojiao's complaint got stuck in her throat, her eyes widening, staring in disbelief at the person who emerged.

The girl wore a set of washed‑out but clean old clothes, yet stood as upright as a young white poplar.

She seemed to have just been busy inside, a fine bead of sweat at her temples, a few strands clinging to her cheek.

She lifted her head, revealing a pristine, delicate little face.

Her brows and eyes were picture‑perfect, exuding a natural fragility, yet those eyes were clear and bright, reflecting a calm, lively light that clashed with the shabby surroundings.

She was precisely the girl who, yesterday on the street, with a few words, had scolded Zhang Jianmin mercilessly and rescued her.

Su Ruan!

Jiang Jiaojiao was completely stunned, her mind a blank.

It turned out… it really was the same Su Ruan?!

The brother she was to marry was this very girl who had amazed and grateful her yesterday?!

The huge contrast and shock left her momentarily speechless, and she just stared dumbfounded at Su Ruan.

Su Ruan saw the house full of people, her gaze sweeping over the nervous yet expectant Jiang Ran, over the Jiang Family parents and grandmother with complicated expressions, and finally landing on the wide‑eyed Jiang Jiaojiao.

A hint of perfectly timed shyness and surprise appeared on her face; she gave a slight nod, her voice soft, mellow and sweet, with a trace of uncertainty: "Uncle, aunt, grandmother, hello… Sister, you also came?"

That "Sister" made Jiang Jiaojiao's heart tremble; the feeling of being protected yesterday surged back within her.

When Jiang Ran saw Su Ruan, his eyes lit up astonishingly in an instant; he couldn't wait and stepped forward a pace, his tone brimming with uncontainable excitement and bragging: "Dad, Mom, Grandma, sis! This is Su Ruan, I didn't lie to you, did I?"