Ai bowed to greet her husband, “It is a pleasure to meet you, I will try to be a good wife so as not to embarrass both sides of our family.” she said in a soft voice, her head lowered to show respect.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness and a deep sense of injustice. As she waited for him to respond, her hands were trembling slightly and her nails were digging into her palms. She had never wanted to marry this man — the arrangement had been forced upon her by her family.