1 Qiao Lingxiang

"This is a rice coupon for 100 kg of rice. Your oldest daughter is mine."

In a decorated middle-class living room, a forty-year-old man was offering Hou Manrong a bridal price.

The emaciated Hou Manrong was sitting opposite the man. There was a dining table between the two of them. She was in a dilemma as she lowered her head and looked at the rice coupon on the table. She pursed her dried lips silently.

The lights in the living room were off. There was an energy shortage now so she wouldn't turn on the lights as long as there was still some natural light in the house.

Under the dim lighting, the man who gave Hou Manrong the rice coupon stretched out his big hand and bent down when he noticed that Hou Manrong didn't reply. He placed his palm on the rice coupon and raised his eyes. He seemed a little proud as he looked at her, unconcerned.

He said, "You know that we're in the last part of this era. These resources are hard to come by. I could buy seven to eight women outside with 100 kg of rice. I only offered you so much because of your eldest daughter."

He seemed certain that this 100 kg rice coupon was irresistible to this family that was short of money.

Hou Manrong looked around the same age as this man. Her dry lips trembled slightly as she opened her mouth and emphasized in a low voice, "My eldest daughter is only 18 years old. She's still studying."

Her face mostly showed reluctance.

"She's not young anymore. If your youngest daughter wasn't so fat, people would probably ask for her hand too."

There was a tinge of ridicule in the depth of the man's eyes as he spoke. The Qiao family had two daughters. One was 18 years old, was as beautiful as a fairy and was liked by everyone. The other was 16 years old but she looked like a pig. She was as fat and as ugly as possible.

If these two sisters hadn't said they were blood-related, no one would've believed the relation.

Hou Manrong remained silent for a long time. Her thin and sparse eyelashes quivered a little before she replied to him, conflicted.

"Brother Po, let me consider it for some time. Her father is still completing a mission and hasn't returned. This is a hard decision for me to make."

A cold smile appeared on Brother Po's face. He patted the rice coupon on the table with his palm.

"Sister Qiao, Brother Qiao is the reason why I came to see you today with this price. You know what it's like on the outside. Everyone is having a hard time. Sometimes, a person shouldn't be so ignorant about the present state of affairs."

His tone was a little overbearing and the underlying menace was strong. Hou Manrong couldn't help but frown.

Maybe it was because Brother Po was forcing her into a tight corner. Hou Manrong's gaunt face looked exceptionally distressed under the dim lighting. She lowered her voice and appeared a little agitated as she replied, "You called me sister and view my husband as your brother…"

They were around the same age and from the same generation. Yet this man had the guts to come to her house and shamelessly ask for her daughter's hand. There was a flame of anger in Hou Manrong's heart. But she couldn't put it out because she couldn't offend the man in front of her.

Hence, she was tactful with her words and didn't dare to be too straightforward. She was afraid that if she tossed aside all remaining courtesy, Brother Po would do something to her and her daughters when her husband, Qiao Pengfei, wasn't around.

Brother Po's expression turned vicious. He sat on the same chair and looked at Hou Manrong quietly. Then he sneered. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of keys turning in the lock could be heard in the hallway.

Qiao Lingxiang's voice came in through the crack of the door.

"Mom, I'm back."

This was the second daughter of the Qiao family, the extremely fat one, Qiao Lingxiang.

When she heard that Qiao Lingxiang had returnd, Hou Manrong thought of an excuse. She said to Brother Po angrily, "If you want to marry, you can marry my second daughter. No one wants her anyway. You can take her away tonight."

She knew that Brother Po wouldn't agree to her suggestion so Hou Manrong purposely said this to ward him off. Hou Manrong wasn't making things difficult for Brother Po. He wanted to marry her daughter and she was willing to let him marry her second daughter.

The door opened. Qiao Lingxiang, who managed to become so fat even in conditions like this, heard what her mom said in the living room. She was stunned. She stood outside the door and wondered if she should enter the house.

The adults seemed to be discussing something important. She shouldn't announce her presence.

However, Qiao Lingxiang didn't know that with her huge figure, even if she didn't want to make herself prominent, she would still have a huge presence just by standing there and remaining silent.

In the living room, Brother Po was so angry that he smiled. He didn't look at the female pig outside the door at all. Instead, he stood up.

"You don't have to beat around the bush. I like your eldest daughter. Sister Qiao, I will give you three days to consider. In three days, I will come back to take her away."

After he finished speaking, Brother Po picked up the rice coupon on the table and turned around to walk out the door.

Qiao Lingxiang was still standing outside the door. She was wearing a 5XL sweater and her hair was cut to her ears. Her hair was naturally slightly curly. When she saw Brother Po walking out, she hurriedly looked down and revealed her triple chin. She shifted aside to let Brother Po leave.

Brother Po looked at her with contempt. Suddenly, he stopped and lowered his head.

"Honestly, did your mother feed you pig food? How did you manage to grow so fat?"

His words were full of malice and ridicule. Qiao Lingxiang stood outside the door and looked up abruptly. She inwardly felt disgusted so she rebutted unhappily, "What does it have to do with you?"

"Tsk, tsk, you're so ugly but you still dare to talk."

Brother Po shook his head. He wanted to slap this female pig but he remembered that he came here today to ask for the hand of the eldest daughter of the Qiao family. It wouldn't be right for him to beat up their second daughter before he married the lady he wanted.

He snorted and whistled. Then he walked straight out without saying a word and went down the staircase.

There was an extreme shortage of energy now. All the elevators in the city had stopped operating. Everyone, regardless of status, had to take the stairs.

After Brother Po left, Qiao Lingxiang entered the house feeling dejected. She stood in the hallway and looked into the dark room. Her mother was sitting at the dining table alone. She opened her fat lips and shouted timidly, "Mom, I'm back."

Then she asked, "Why was he here? Mom?"

"Do you think I'm deaf?"

Hou Manrong suddenly shouted. She slammed the table and stood up as she shouted at Qiao Lingxiang with bloodshot eyes.

"Do you have to repeat what you said? Am I deaf? Do you think I couldn't hear that you're back? Why are you so irritating? Didn't you see that the adults were discussing something? I've never seen anyone as insensible as you. Why do you have to make me angry? Can't you be like your sister? Can't you stop making me angry for once?…"

She started shouting nonstop. Hou Manrong viewed Qiao Lingxiang as an outlet for her anger. The moment Qiao Lingxiang came back, she started shouting non-stop.

Qiao Lingxiang, who was extremely fat, froze on the spot in astonishment. What did I say? Did I ask a question I shouldn't have asked or did something I shouldn't have done?

I didn't do anything, so why's Mom shouting at me?

Qiao Lingxiang looked at her mom who was roaring like an indignant lion. She opened her mouth and said obediently, "I was just asking. Mom, if you don't want to explain, you don't have to reply."