The Bridegroom Swapped for Me

Blurb

Liu Ling was the third child in the Liu family. Apart from doing the chores, he was barely noticed.

Yuan Li was the second child in the Yuan family. He moved out at ten to help his parents care for the aging A Nan.

The eldest child of the Liu family and the fourth child of the Yuan family fell in love. But the Liu family was so poor they couldn't afford the betrothal gifts, and the Yuan parents were naturally against the match. So the pair hatched a plan and eloped.

To appease the Yuan family's anger, the villagers all supported the idea of the Liu family sending someone else to marry into the Yuan family. Once the two families exchanged spouses, the grudge between them would naturally disappear.

The original choice was Liu Ling's younger sister. Unable to bear the thought of her suffering in the Yuan household, he secretly approached Yuan Li and asked if he would agree to take him instead, marrying him as his husband.

Yuan Li had already disliked the idea of a spouse exchange. He didn't want to ruin a Liu girl's life, but his parents wanted to find a wife for his third brother as soon as possible. As the second brother, he had yet to marry, which would look bad, so he reluctantly agreed.

But when he met Liu Ling, the audacious fellow from the Liu family, Yuan Li's restless heart suddenly settled. This was the one.

The spouse exchange was meant to appease the Yuan family, and Yuan Li was not favored at home, so the wedding was kept simple. Yuan Li came alone to fetch his bride. He borrowed money to buy some red cloth, then pulled his husband home in a handcart.

After the wedding, his parents-in-law nitpicked everything because of what had happened before. His siblings-in-law were difficult, and his own family, at fault because of his eldest brother, wouldn't stand up for him in front of his parents-in-law. He was beset by one problem after another, tangled in a mess.

Fortunately, Yuan Li supported him wholeheartedly, and the two of them split from the family with almost nothing.

After moving out, life became much more comfortable. He was good at managing a household and had a skill of his own, so before long the couple had built a thriving life together. They became the wealthiest household for miles around, much to everyone's envy.

Theme: Hard work brings its own rewards