Seeing Li Lian’s expression turn strange, Yu Tingwan slowly added,
“But he must have a sense of responsibility, can’t be a street loafer who does no proper work. At home, must be obedient, can’t hit me.”
Li Lian seemed thoughtful. Thinking of Yu Tingwan’s past experiences, she had a few guesses in her heart and couldn’t help but feel some pity, weighing the pros and cons.
She didn’t brush it off, instead thought seriously for a while.
The Hu family was probably about to produce a xiucai scholar, and those who wanted to marry into the Hu family would naturally downplay their prejudice against Yu Tingwan, not to mention this girl’s looks were outstanding.
“In our village, the Zhu family has four generations under one roof and a prosperous population. The four sons are all strong and haven’t yet married, but each is a top-notch worker in the fields. The young men are all good young men.”
“The Zhu sons are each and every one of them filial. It’s just that the Zhu old woman got sick and takes medicine every day, dragging them down, and that’s why the marriage has been delayed till now.”
“But the whole family understands reason. If you marry the eldest son, it’ll just be hard for the first few years. In the future, what’s there to worry about for good days?”
No way. She couldn’t bear that kind of hardship.
Zhu Mother was ill; as a daughter-in-law she’d have to tend to her bedside.
She’d have to take on all the housework, manage everything inside and out.
Never mind just decocting medicine and cooking—being the younger generation and also the eldest daughter-in-law, she would not only have to wash the clothes of the four brothers, but also the clothes of the elders above.
That was simply even more bitter than living in the Hu family.
So what would she be getting out of it?
She was getting married, not becoming a slave laborer.
Yu Tingwan asked without hesitation: “Does Mother-in-law have any other suitable candidates?”
Li Lian was quite easygoing too: “What do you think of that widow Shi’s son? Their household has few members, and that young man works as a bookkeeper in town.”
The Shi family in Xilin Village had one of the best conditions around.
Yu Tingwan shook her head: “Widow Shi sees her son as her heart and liver, proud and arrogant, probably wouldn’t look at me. I don’t ask for much, but at the very least the mother-in-law must be someone who understands reason.”
Now that really stumped Li Lian.
Who didn’t start as a daughter-in-law and suffer their way to becoming a mother-in-law?
If not for the fact that Widow Shi’s son picked wives solely by their looks, how many village girls would have thrown themselves at him?
Li Lian had a headache.
“There is still one more.”
“You know how every New Year my family buys pigs from the neighboring Gao Family Village? Over the years we got acquainted with that butcher Wu. That person has an eccentric temperament, five years older than you. His family only has him left, elders passed away early.”
She hesitated for a long while: “Though if you marry over, you won’t lack meat to eat, but…”
“But I really can’t introduce you to him against my conscience.”
“That young man is pretty decent, generous too, but he’s eccentric, doesn’t like to talk. Has a body full of tendon meat, tall and burly, just one glance is intimidating. But he was born missing a finger on his left hand—very unlucky, ominous, who would dare be his wife?”
Yu Tingwan’s eyes lit up. There was such a premium-grade one?
So what if he had four fingers? As long as he could support himself with his hands, how was he in any way beneath others?
Back in the early years, Ah-Da [阿爹 – “father,” affectionate rural/formal term] worked at a biaojü [镖局 – escort agency for armed security and goods protection in ancient/old China], and there was an ugly scar on the right side of his face, like a centipede. He often said:
“Your mother suffered in the first half of her life. After being with me, she must eat the best, wear the most beautiful clothes, and live in the best residence.”
She thought Ah-Da was the most handsome!
Yu Tingwan volunteered herself: “Me!”
No need to serve the father- and mother-in-law, no sister-in-law quarrels.
So what if he has a weird temper—she wasn’t easy to mess with either!
Li Lian: ???
You’re serious!?
But you and Butcher Wu standing together, you don’t match anywhere.
She looked closely at Yu Tingwan’s expression—it didn’t look like she was pretending.
Li Lian couldn’t understand it, but she respected it!
Yu Tingwan smiled gently, not a hint of shyness: “See which day he’s free, Mother-in-law might as well arrange for us to meet.”
Village folks didn’t have that many rules, and after that farce with Wang-shi, Li-shi didn’t find these words abrupt at all.
If the two didn’t dislike each other and could live steady days, it might actually be a good marriage.
Thinking more carefully, maybe it could really work. Li Lian slapped her thigh: “Alright, wait for my word.”
As soon as Li Lian left, Wang-shi barged in.
She had a sullen face, scrutinizing Yu Tingwan.
“What did you say to Li Lian?”
Chatted for so long! Don’t tell me she was badmouthing me—otherwise why did Li Lian glare at her before leaving!?
Thinking of how the villagers were pointing fingers just now, Wang-shi felt both ashamed and furious.
Yu Tingwan withdrew the smile in her eyes, her expression cooled.
“Want to know?”
Wang-shi: ?
Yu Tingwan spoke softly and gently: “Go guess somewhere else.”
Wang-shi: ??
Now that someone’s backing you, you’re lawless, huh!
———
These past few days, Old Man Qian walked with wind beneath his feet.
His medical skills weren’t refined, but he was still clear on Wei Shen’s condition.
Back when the villagers carried him in, he gave one look and told Wei Shouzhong to prepare for the aftermath. But he couldn’t resist the tearful pleas, so he agreed to keep him.
Old Man Qian had no way out—he could only shove a slice of old wild ginseng into his mouth every day.
That Wei Shen still hadn’t stopped breathing!!
Which meant—there was hope.
Wei Shouzhong ran back to find Old Lady Wei, and Hui-niang also returned to her maiden home to borrow money, just hoping that once the road reopened, they could send their son to the medical clinic in town.
Almost nearing midday, Old Man Qian picked up his medicine box and went next door to change the dressing.
The light inside the room was dim. The man on the bed had a complexion as pale as paper. At some unknown moment, he had opened his eyes.
He leaned slanted against the wall, the corner of his mouth tugging downward. He slowly lifted his gaze—his eyes hollow, yet as if surging with monstrous waves.
Just one glance made Old Man Qian’s spine go cold.
The snow fell heavier, as if wanting to crush something.
When Wei Shouzhong came clutching the money pouch, he just happened to see Old Man Qian hurriedly rushing out from the room in panic.
“Quick, go grab the clay jar on the table next door!”
Old Man Qian left this sentence and turned back again.
Wei Shouzhong, flustered, ran to the next room, picked up the clay jar, and rushed back inside.
His vision filled with bright red—blood was spurting from A’Lang’s chest, half his body soaked in it.
Old Man Qian’s face was grim, trying to press down on the wound, but the warm liquid still surged out through his fingers in a scramble.
“Wasn’t this wound stopped a few days ago?”
Wei Shouzhong’s legs gave out, and with a bang, he fell to his knees: “Doctor Qian, please save A’Lang.”
“I beg you to use the best medicine. If the money’s not enough, my wife and I will go scrape more together.”
Old Man Qian had a bad temper, but when it came to human life, he didn’t dare be careless.
“Alright, begging me is no use. If this bleeding won’t stop, even I can’t help.”
Doctor Qian’s face was heavy, sweat beading on his forehead. He grabbed the clay jar and poured hemostatic powder onto the wound.
“Go fetch a few basins of water! Must be boiling!”
Wei Shouzhong’s eyes were bloodshot. He set down the cloth pouch full of silver and ran out.
Time crawled.
No one knew how long had passed—Old Man Qian finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Wei Shouzhong asked anxiously: “Doctor Qian, how is A’Lang?”
“Your son is sick.”
Wei Shouzhong: “Yes, isn’t that why we’re treating him now?”
Old Man Qian didn’t rush to wash his hands: “Just now… he woke up.”
Wei Shouzhong: !!!
He was wild with joy: “Really!”
“Don’t be happy too soon.”
Old Man Qian: “Just now he asked me if I had a knife. I said no, but I had scissors. When he took it, he was even quite polite.”
Wei Shouzhong felt comforted, but asked in confusion: “What did he want scissors for?”
Old Man Qian’s expression turned strange: “To stab the wound.”
And he did it so cleanly and decisively.
Wei Shouzhong: ???
Old Man Qian was at a loss for words: “After stabbing, he even pulled it out again. Before lying down and closing his eyes, he still complained that my scissors were too dull.”
“You tell me—isn’t he sick in the head?”
—-
T/N: Oh they’re gonna be match made in heaven