Chapter 1

After she was assaulted, my sister fell in love with the very man who had raped her. She thought he was so handsome that she insisted on marrying him.

Our parents were furious enough to end up in the hospital.

But she refused to change her mind. She shamelessly pursued him, even secretly giving him the family's money.

Everyone thought she'd lost her mind.

I was the only one helping her get her wish—helping her marry him.

My sister was beautiful, and she liked bold, revealing clothes.

But we lived in a cramped working-class neighborhood in the city, where all sorts of people came and went. It wasn't a safe place.

Our parents were always urging her to cover up a little, so she wouldn't attract the wrong sort of attention.

She wouldn't listen. She said they were always assuming the worst of people.

As she carried on doing exactly as she pleased, they spent every day worrying.

2

Before long, their fears came true.

One night, on her way home from work, a man dragged her into a deserted alley. At first, she was so frightened she was about to scream for help.

But when she saw his face, she took a condom out of her handbag, handed it to him, and moved closer of her own accord.

He clearly hadn't expected that.

He stood there stunned. Only when she reached to undo his belt did he lose control and give free rein to his desires.

Afterward, he pulled up his trousers and started to leave.

She caught his trouser leg, saying she'd fallen for him and asking for his contact details.

He thought she wanted his information so she could report him to the police. He kicked her away.

“Slut.”

From my bedroom window, I happened to see the whole thing.

As though she felt my gaze, my sister looked up while straightening her clothes.

I hurriedly ducked behind the curtain.

A few minutes later, I heard her on the phone downstairs.

She told the police she had been sexually assaulted in an alley, and that the condom still contained evidence from the man.

Officers soon arrived.

They took her to the station for a statement and successfully extracted his DNA from the evidence.

Once the formalities were over, she asked the policewoman taking her statement:

“Could you let me know when you catch him? I'd like to see him once.”

The officer looked surprised. Victims rarely volunteered to see a suspect again.

Still, she nodded.

“Yes. We'll notify you to come in and identify him as part of the procedure.”

My sister's lips curved into a smile, and she left the station in high spirits.

The next morning, she put on her favorite short skirt and stood in front of the mirror, carefully doing her hair and makeup as usual.

Hearing her hum while she got ready, our parents couldn't help asking whether something good had happened.

She turned and smiled.

“Mom, Dad, there's someone I like. Once we're officially together, I'll bring him home to meet you.”

Sitting nearby, I wondered whether she could possibly mean the man from last night.

Our parents were curious.

“What's he like? What does his family do? What's his job? Where's he from?”

She blushed.

“Mom, Dad, he's very handsome. The rest doesn't matter.”

They were taken aback, then relieved.

They'd been urging her to find a boyfriend for years, but she always said she didn't want a relationship, much less a marriage.

Now that she finally had her eye on someone, they could accept him as long as he wasn't a criminal and had no serious vices.

From her words and her reaction, I understood.

The man she'd fallen for was the one from the night before.

But I had no evidence, so I kept quiet.

With ample evidence in hand, the police soon arrested the man involved in her case.

They called and asked her to come to the station.

She was so delighted that she changed outfits again and again, trying several shades of lipstick before she was satisfied enough to leave.

In the interview room, she sat opposite him, gazing at him with undisguised infatuation.

He looked irritated. He insisted that he hadn't forced her; she was the one who had initiated it.

The officer handling the case stared, then turned to her.

“Is that true?”

She nodded.

“Yes. He didn't force me. I gave him the condom. What happened that day was voluntary.”

The officer was angry.

“Do you realize that making a false police report is against the law?”

My sister lowered her head apologetically.

“I'm sorry... but he wouldn't stay in touch afterward. I couldn't find him. This was the only way I could see him again.”

The police had no choice but to release him, after reprimanding and warning her about filing a false report.

As soon as they stepped outside the station, he strode away. She quickly caught his arm.

“Hey, handsome. What's the hurry? I told you, I like you. I want to marry you.”

He looked at her as though she were insane.

He was about to refuse when she held up a hand.

“Not so fast. If you say no, I'll go back in and change my statement. You'll still be facing legal consequences. But if you marry me, you'll have a beautiful wife. Isn't that better?”

He looked her up and down. His resolve seemed to waver.

She pressed on.

“Besides, you're unemployed, aren't you? Marry me, and I'll support you. I can even secretly give you my parents' money.”

The offer was too tempting.

His attitude changed at once. His smile softened, and he put his arms around her.

“Sweetheart, I think you're beautiful too. But would your parents agree to let you marry someone in my position?”

She answered shyly.

“They've been urging me to get married for ages. If we register the marriage before telling them, there won't be anything they can do, even if they object.”

He laughed and urged her to go register immediately.

She took her ID card out of her handbag.

“I've had everything ready for a long time. We can go to the registry now.”

He tapped her forehead playfully, then took her to his rented room to get his own documents before they went to register the marriage.

Once it was done, she brought him home to meet our parents.

“Mom, Dad, A Zheng and I have registered our marriage. He doesn't have steady work at the moment, so he'll be moving in with us.”

They were dumbfounded.

My new brother-in-law really was handsome. But if he was unemployed and had to live off my sister, she'd be better off single.

They objected at once and demanded that she divorce him.

She clung to his arm and shook her head.

“No. We're husband and wife now. He's the only man I'll ever marry.”

Our parents clutched their chests and collapsed onto the sofa.

Only then did she panic and call an ambulance.

But even their hospitalization didn't change her mind.

While they were still in the hospital, she secretly gave A Zheng money from the household and told him to spend it freely.

When our relatives and friends found out, they all said she'd gone mad.

I watched it all in silence.

That night, she leaned close to my ear.

“Luoluo, you'll help me, won't you? Registering the marriage isn't enough. I want a traditional wedding with A Zheng too.”

I looked at her, then nodded.

Yes.

I would help her.

She smiled, satisfied.

I knew how eagerly she was looking forward to that day.

So was I.

Just thinking of their wedding filled me with an excitement I couldn't describe.

Our parents were discharged while we were preparing for it.

The moment they stepped into the house and saw the traditional wedding decorations everywhere, they clutched their chests and crumpled on the spot.

“You ungrateful child! Are you trying to drive us to our graves?”

Dad pointed at my sister, who was busy putting up red double-happiness decorations.

She glanced at them and pouted.

“Mom, Dad, why would you say that? I've already considered your feelings. I'm only having a small wedding here at home. I haven't invited any relatives or friends. If that still isn't enough, what do you want me to do?”

They went even paler.

They simply couldn't understand how their once obedient, considerate daughter had become so stubborn.

When she saw them secretly wipe their tears, she seemed to soften a little.

She went over, crouched in front of them, and said: