"Oh no, the Morgan family's daughter has jumped into the river!"
"It's all because of her heartless brother who forced her into a proxy marriage. Who could bear such a thing!"
The cacophony seemed to echo from afar. Suzanne could not open her eyes, the suffocating sensation of drowning made her head feel heavy, losing consciousness once more.
Time passed.
Gradually regaining her consciousness, Suzanne woke up.
She opened her eyes to a small farmhouse, old-fashioned wooden table and chairs, and a very distinctive enamel water tank.
The tank displayed four large words: "Work Hard Be Happy."
Where was this?
Wasn't she in her college dormitory, pulling an all-nighter? How did she suddenly end up here?
Suzanne sat up, looking around in confusion.
The wooden door was not soundproof, the sobbing of a woman and the irate voice of a man could be heard from outside.
"I had no idea she'd be so stubborn as to jump into the river and commit suicide! What's wrong with Thomas? He's a soldier and a squad leader, something of an officer, holding a steady job!"
"Who does Suzanne think she is? A country bumpkin who hasn't even completed high school! If not for Gabrielle's renunciation and refusal to remarry, it would not be her turn!"
As she heard the outside conversation, Suzanne was stunned.
Then, a wave of memory suddenly flooded into her mind.
She time-traveled!
She was a 21st-century college girl, who died suddenly from staying up all night partying, and directly crossed over to the 1880s, becoming the unloved third child of the Morgan family in a small mountain village.
Their father passed away early, and the family was under harsh circumstances, with the elder brother working hard in farming to support the family.
To fulfill her older sister, Gabrielle's dream of college, and despite being a brilliant student, she voluntarily dropped out of school to support her sister's education.
After the college entrance exam, Garbrielle did not receive her admission letter and assumed she'd failed. Consequently, her mother sought a husband for her.
The man, Thomas Wright, was a soldier and a team leader in the army, with several commendations to his name.
Since Thomas couldn't come, the two sides exchanged photos. Both were satisfied and agreed to the marriage.
During the engagement, the Wright family gave 20 thousand dollars in engagement money, equivalent to half a year's expenses for an average family.
But less than a month after the engagement, Garbrielle got her college admission notice! To support Garbrielle's education, the Wright family sent another 50 thousand dollars in money, promising to support Garbrielle throughout college.
The Morgan family was overjoyed, and the village neighbors were all envious of Garbrielle's good fortune.
Who would have known that in just one year, Garbrielle would have changed her mind.
Not only did she secretly date at school, but she also snatched up Daniel, Suzanne's childhood sweetheart.
Afraid that the Wright family would not agree to the breakup, Garbrielle persuaded their mother to have her sister marry Thomas in her place to silence the Wright family.
Their mother was a meek character, but the elder brother, Jake, was a dominant force who sided with Garbrielle, pressuring Suzanne to comply.
Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, the youngest decided to end her life by diving into the river.
Afterward, Suzanne arrived here, entering the body of the original owner...
She let out a sigh after digesting the memories.
In the modern world, she was an only child, pampered and cherished by her parents.
Upon arriving here, it was like starting the game in hell mode.
A biased mother, a dominating brother, a spoiled sister, and she was forced to become a substitute for a bride.
It was really not easy at all!
Before she could continue her grieving, the door was pushed open.
Her mother, Judith, walked in. Seeing that she had woken up, she was both surprised and elated. She grabbed her hand and cried, "Suzanne, you're finally awake! Are you trying to kill your mother? What will your poor mother do if something happens to you?!"
Suzanne's eyes reddened uncontrollably. Before she could speak, Judith began to sob and beg.
"Could you stop being so stubborn? Just agree to marry Thomas! Although he is not a college graduate, at least he has a stable job. You won't suffer after marrying him. If you don't marry him, our family will be finished!"
It seems the original owner's remaining emotions affected Suzanne. After hearing her mother's words, her chest was filled with grievances.
She had just jumped into the river, nearly dying, yet her mother showed no concern for her health and was still pressuring her to marry as a substitute.
Unable to control her tears, Suzanne protested, "Mother, how could you be so biased? I am also your daughter, why must you force me?"
"It's good that you know you are your mother's daughter!" her big brother, Jake, interjected, "Mother has painstakingly raised you. Can't you repay her once? Thomas is in such a good position, more than a perfect match for you. What else are you dissatisfied with?"
His tone made it seem as if it was her who was being willful and ungrateful.
Suzanne was almost laughing from exasperation, her anger dissipating the original protagonist's grievance.
She forcefully wiped away the tears on her face and sneered, "if Thomas is such a good catch, why didn't you marry our second sister off to him? She gets her tuition fees from the Wright family for college and is Thomas’s fiancée. Wouldn't everyone be happy if she was the one to marry him?"
"You! Why can't you understand!" Jake was so furious that he clenched his teeth, "Do you think if Gabrielle marries Thomas, you can be with Daniel? Dream on! Daniel is now a college student with a bright future, he wouldn’t settle for you.”
“He might not want me, but I don't want him either. This kind of fickle, doggish man, only Gabrielle would find him attractive!” Suzanne retorted firmly, "No matter who Gabrielle wants to marry, do not look at me! I am not going to marry for her."
"Suzanne!" Jake was so angry that he roared out loud, then turned to look at Judith, "Mother, look at her! What kind of attitude is this!"
Judith, her eyes filled with tears, looked disappointedly and sorrowfully at her. "Suzanne, when did you become so disobedient?"
The pain in Suzanne's heart was unbearable, but her mind remained clear.
The original protagonist paid the ultimate price for fighting against this, yet her closest family still blames her for being rebellious and ignorant?
Whose fault is this, really?
Isn’t Gabrielle the one in the wrong?
Jake then scoffed coldly, "Thankfully I had anticipated this, and already prepared the marriage certificate in advance. Otherwise, we would have been ruined by him!"
Suzanne's heart skipped a beat.
Marriage certificate issued in advance? What does he mean?
Noticing the confusion in her eyes, Jake smirked, "Let me tell you the truth. A few days earlier, Mother sent your household registration to them and they’ve already registered your marriage with Thomas. Whether you consent to this marriage or not, you and Thomas are already husband and wife."
"This is a military marriage; it cannot be annulled easily. You better accept your fate!"