What should you do if you're being forced into an arranged marriage?

Easy.

“Thanks for the invite. I'm back in my hometown, just got reincarnated, and there are too many people in my circle, so I'll stay anonymous.”

And the answer is...

Face them head-on.

Once she'd braced herself, she had nothing left to worry about. Su Tong simply strode through the door in two quick steps.

Inside, she saw a middle-aged man sitting on the living-room sofa, his face dark with anger.

He didn't have the commanding presence of someone in power. He was just furious. The moment Su Tong stepped inside, he slammed a palm down on the coffee table in front of him.

“Bang—”

“You disobedient brat! You actually dare come back!”

Looking at the coffee table still trembling, Su Tong could only purse her lips.

All bark and no bite.

Still, he looked like someone you really didn't want to mess with.

The two little maids standing in front of her were already shaking with fear. Su Tong even wondered if they'd soon collapse to the floor. The middle-aged man before them might not have had the imposing presence of some great mountain or deep pool, but when he flew into a rage, he was still enough to make anyone tremble.

But she wasn't afraid.

She'd spent years scrambling through the great dye vat that was society. What storm hadn't she weathered? How could some strange middle-aged man scare her? The people she'd dealt with had been on a whole different level from him, and Su Tong had chatted and laughed with them as if it were nothing.

So she only nodded carelessly and answered with offhand politeness:

“Yes, yes, of course... I just don't know which family's young master is supposed to marry me. Which outstanding young man are we talking about?”

“...Wait.”

The middle-aged man frowned.

He knew his daughter better than anyone: stubborn and set in her ways. Once she'd made up her mind, there was no changing it. So when she found out about the arranged marriage, she'd simply run away from home—though he had no idea why she'd come back.

Maybe she'd finally realized how hard life was without a source of money and slunk back home?

The middle-aged man thought it over, then snorted.

“You won't be mistreated. It's a young master from the Li family. They're rich and powerful, and if you marry into their family, you'll definitely...”

“Hold on a second.”

Su Tong very seriously made a shushing gesture.

“I have a question for you.”

“...A question?”

“That's right.” Su Tong smiled brightly. “You said that young Master Li's family is rich and powerful, right?”

“...That's right.”

The middle-aged man's frown deepened.

At the same time, the smile on the girl's face grew more and more charming.

“So here's the question...”

Her gaze drifted over the middle-aged man's face again, thoughtful.

“If I'm not mistaken, that young Master Li's family has a lot more money and influence than ours, right? So, given that, why would someone as rich and powerful as him want to form an alliance with our family? Did he get kicked in the head by a mule?”

“Well...”

For the first time, the middle-aged man was left speechless and forced to concede.

Because he had to admit that his daughter had a point.

Capital always chased profit. Even he understood that much, though he'd only barely established himself locally and was still shut out by high society as a “nouveau riche.” After all, whether a cat was black or white, if it caught mice, it was a good cat. And those upper-class big shots, full of talk about virtue and morality while greedily lining their pockets, certainly understood that too.

Which raised the question...

Just as his daughter Su Tong had said, why would the local elites, who thought themselves better than everyone else, kindly offer him a chance to join their ranks?

Were they doing charity?

Of course not.

Those bloodsuckers would strip every last feather from a goose. They had no interest in charity, except when it could polish their reputations and earn them a little praise.

Then why?

As he pondered the question, the middle-aged man instinctively looked toward his daughter. But at some point, Su Tong had calmly sat down across from him. She was reaching for the teapot and pouring two cups of tea, one for him and one for herself.

Like an old man.

The girl took her time and sipped her tea. A satisfied expression appeared on her face. She nodded, then set down the still-warm cup.

The little girl's body was far too delicate. Even a sip of hot water had nearly scalded her.

She'd have to be careful from now on.

Having made up her mind, Su Tong finally looked up and faced the inexplicable bargain-bin dad she'd somehow acquired.

What was this, getting a dad out of thin air?

It was almost laughable, and her feelings were complicated.

But anyway...

“I don't need to spell it out. You should be able to see what's going on, so that's what I mean, 'kay?”

“...‘Kay?”

“Don't worry about the details...”

Su Tong sighed helplessly.

This body's tongue was ridiculously sensitive. Even a little hot water made it sting. She could bear the pain, but she couldn't stop her words from coming out all slurred afterward.

Though maybe it sounded kind of cute?

“Anyway, it's obvious if you think about it. Business is all about making money. If you have nothing that young Master Li would value, then why not consider why he'd be the one proposing an alliance with our family? Rule out every possibility that doesn't make sense, and what's left is the only answer.”

If she was going to slur her words, she might as well avoid the syllable that tripped her up.

Just don't say “le.”

Then she sighed.

“So the only possibility is... that young Master Li isn't trying to form an alliance with our family at all. I think he's just lusting after your daughter—me! What a sleazebag!”

The moment the words left her mouth, the whole room fell silent.

The middle-aged man was quiet for a moment, then looked his daughter up and down.

She seemed familiar, yet strange.

How had this girl somehow become a different person in just one day...? Her words and even her mannerisms were all different. Could running away from home really have this kind of effect?

Still, there was no need to dwell on that.

He'd finally managed to have a conversation with his daughter. This chance had been hard to come by.

They said a prodigal who turned over a new leaf was worth more than gold. But at this point, she was worth far more than gold. If she kept this up... He was already wondering whether he should get his other daughter to run away from home too, just to see what happened.

But even he knew that was impossible.

He could only rub his tired eyes and nod.

“If that's the case, then let's forget it.”

Just like that?

Su Tong was still enjoying herself.

Or rather...

Wasn't that a little too easy?

No matter how she looked at it, this old man who'd been ready to offer his daughter up in an arranged marriage shouldn't have given in so quickly. Weren't people who used their own flesh and blood as bargaining chips for profit all miserly money-grubbers?

But looking at his expression and manner, she felt like she might have misunderstood something.

Su Tong raised an eyebrow.

Now this was getting interesting.

But if things really were going the way she thought, maybe she could still save this bargain-bin dad?

Having made up her mind, the girl gave him a rather meaningful smile.

“Why should we forget it? As it happens, I've got a great idea that could get you into high society... Want to hear it?”

She spoke softly.

[To be continued]