The next day, Yong-ge knew what his eldest and second elder brothers were doing with the bowls. Apart from hanging out with their unruly friends somewhere, they didn't do what he expected.
Moreover, the meat was stolen from their uncle's house.
Because Fifth Uncle's wife, Aunt Wu, found out that the cured beef hanging on the ceiling beam was missing, she guessed that it was done by the eldest and second elder brothers. She came to their house early in the morning and said, "Where are those two dirty scoundrels with festering heads and pus-filled feet? Where did they hide our meat?! Those two unscrupulous ones, stealing even from their own family!"
Upon hearing Aunt Wu's words, Li Wang's expression changed, clearly recalling the incident of his two sons taking the bowls last night.
"Poor us, we only have a little bit of leftover material for the New Year. I don't care, Second Son, you have to compensate us this time, no matter what!" exclaimed Aunt Wu.
Knowing that Li Da and Li Er were not at home, Wu Guihua showed no mercy in her words. Not only did she scold Li Da and Li Er mercilessly, but she also pulled Li Wang and demanded money from him.
Li Changsheng, who came with his own mother, smiled awkwardly and said, "Second Uncle, if you know where the two cousins hid the things, just bring them out and give them back to us. My mother is very angry; she's just speaking out of anger…"
"What anger?!" Aunt Wu paid no attention to Li Changsheng's attempt to mediate and retorted, glaring, "I've endured them for a long time. It's one thing for them to steal small things normally, but this time, they stole four pairs of cow hooves, a hanging piece of beef, and a whole ten catties of beef from our family!"
"It's not ten catties…" Li Changsheng felt his mother was exaggerating. Some of the meat was undesirable parts of the cow that others didn't want, and they brought it back. In total, it was just over four catties.
In fact, this meat could be sold at a reduced price, and those families who weren't well-off would be willing to spend some extra money to satisfy their cravings. However, their family was in a relatively good condition, so they decided to keep it all and slowly consume it together as a family.
"I said it's ten catties, so it's ten catties! I personally cured the meat; don't I know?" Aunt Wu didn't want to argue with Li Wang anymore at this moment. She just wanted to teach her eldest son a lesson.
"Mother, please don't be like this. Second Uncle and we are still family," Feng-ge couldn't stand it anymore and pulled Wu Guihua, trying to persuade her. "It was the two cousins who stole, and you know it too. Second Uncle can't control them…"
Could his mother please not be so blatant? He felt embarrassed just listening to her.
Yong-ge glanced gratefully at his cousin. Although the two of them weren't close due to his elder brothers, Feng-ge always spoke up for him and his father. He was genuinely grateful.
"It serves him right if he can't control them! Who told him to be the father of those two heartless scoundrels! If sons steal things, it's only right for the father to pay the money. Did I say something wrong?!" Aunt Wu had no way of dealing with those two scoundrels, but she knew Li Wang was soft-hearted.
Moreover, Li Mancang, as the head of the household, wasn't present, tacitly allowing her to confront Second Son.
In fact, over the years, whatever Li Da and Li Er took from their house, she always made up for it from Li Wang and Yong-ge. Therefore, despite her fierce yelling, she was secretly confident.
Sure enough, when she blocked Li Wang and started arguing, Yong-ge couldn't help but feel sorry for his father. "Aunt, how much money do I need to compensate you? Just don't accuse my father…"
Money made things easier. Wu Guihua immediately spoke up, "Four pairs of cow hooves, a hanging piece of beef, and ten catties of beef, 350 wen, not a single wen less!"
"350 wen?" Li Wang took a deep breath. "Sister-in-law, even if Yong-ge and I have money, don't you think this stuff is not worth that much?"
"But it's top-quality beef!" Wu Guihua's momentum was fierce, forgetting that when she cried and complained, she had called them scraps. Now, all of a sudden, it had become top-quality beef.
"Sister-in-law, how can you be so unreasonable?" Li Wang got annoyed and said, looking up, "If you're going to say that, then I can also say that my eldest and second son never came to your house. Did you see them stealing? Did you come here to pick a fight with me?"
"How could I not have seen it? It was those two dirty scoundrels who stole. I saw it with my own eyes! If you don't believe me, Second Son, let's go find Village Head Li and let him settle this!" When Wu Guihua said this, Li Wang fell silent.
Because he knew that Li Da and Li Er had a bad reputation in the village. Although they had engaged in petty theft before, they stole insignificant things, and others didn't bother to confront them. But if their actions were confirmed this time, they would surely be the first suspects whenever something went missing in the village.
Li Wang wasn't afraid of anything else; he was only afraid of his family being expelled from the village. At least in the village, he could make a living with Yong-ge. With the village head and elders pressuring them, his two disobedient sons wouldn't dare to act recklessly.
If they were expelled, Yong-ge would surely be the first one to be sold…
Seeing that Li Wang was frightened, Wu Guihua intentionally dragged him towards the door, shouting, "Today, either we go to Village Head or you pay back the money. Second Son, don't think you can deceive your way out of this!"
Although Li Wang was shorter than Wu Guihua by half a head, he was thin and crippled, so he stumbled as Wu Guihua forcefully pulled him. His clothes were nearly torn, and his old face turned red.
Yong-ge became anxious and grabbed his father's arm. "I'll give you the money! 350 wen, right? I'll give it to you!"
Wu Guihua was skeptical and looked at Yong-ge as he rummaged through his money pouch and took out a small piece of silver, estimated to be about half a tael. She was immediately shocked and asked, "Where did you get the silver?"
In her impression, Yong-ge worked odd jobs around, and it wasn't surprising for him to have copper coins. But it was impossible for someone to pay him in silver.
"Don't worry about where I got it from, but this small piece of silver is worth at least 500 wen. You still owe me 150 wen," Yong-ge replied.
Wu Guihua reached out to grab it, saying, "Why should I owe you anything?! Your two unruly brothers came to our house causing trouble last time, and I got injured. They even took medicine. Don't I deserve compensation?"
Yong-ge wasn't foolish; he had anticipated that she might play dirty. He quickly took back the silver and said, "If you don't owe me anything, then I won't give it to you."
Wu Guihua wanted to argue that Yong-ge's silver wasn't worth 500 wen, but Yong-ge was firm this time and wouldn't budge. He admitted that he would compensate, and even if it escalated to Village Head Li, she wouldn't gain any further advantages. Besides, she and Li Wang were relatives, and if she went too far, the villagers would definitely gossip.
After considering her options, Wu Guihua compromised and asked Li Changsheng to retrieve the money from home. Although Li Changsheng felt sorry for his second uncle and Yong-ge, he had no choice under his mother's strong influence.
Once they had the 150 wen, Wu Guihua clutched onto them tightly and refused to give them away. "Now, you should show me the silver, shouldn't you?"
What if it's not enough, or worse, if it's fake!
Yong-ge ignored her and turned his gaze towards Li Changsheng. "I don't believe you, I only trust my cousin Changsheng."
Li Changsheng looked at his mother with a difficult expression, and Feng-ge also grabbed Wu Guihua's arm and shook it, subtly blinking his eyes. "Mother, give the money to him~~"
Wu Guihua understood the meaning behind their gestures, thinking it was a suggestion to settle for what they had gained.
She thought to herself that she had already profited from this confrontation, so she handed the money to her eldest son. "Take a careful look, and if it's fake, I'll skin you alive!"
Although she said this to Li Changsheng, her eyes were fixed on Yong-ge, implying her thoughts.
Yong-ge felt indignant, but he had no choice. Why were his two brothers so unreliable? His speed in making money at odd jobs was never as fast as their spending!
The silver was naturally genuine, and the weight was accurate. Li Changsheng quickly completed the exchange.
Because she had given away the 150 wen, when Wu Guihua was about to leave, she still gave Yong-ge a scrutinizing look, implying that he might have done something wrong outside. "Could it be that your Yong-ge has done something bad out there? Where did he get the silver? He's so secretive!"
"Our Changfeng-ge hasn't even married yet. It's bad enough to have two cousins who steal and cause trouble, don't let us have one who lacks morals. It would bring trouble to our Feng-ge later on."
"Wu Guihua, what did you say! Who is not well-behaved? Who is not well-behaved? You explain it to me clearly!"
Li Wang, an honest man, finally lost his temper. He didn't mind how Wu Guihua scolded his two unfilial sons, but Yong-ge was his soft spot.
Regardless of his crippled leg, Li Wang hobbled forward with his crutch, chasing after Wu Guihua.
Wu Guihua ran swiftly, taunting as she looked back, "I was just kindly reminding you!"
Of course, Li Wang couldn't catch up to her. Panting heavily, he stopped and saw Yong-ge. His old face immediately darkened. In front of outsiders, he naturally defended his son, but that didn't stop him from closing the courtyard door and interrogating Yong-ge about the origin of the silver.
"You honestly tell your father, where did the silver come from!"
Li Wang's thoughts were similar to Wu Guihua's. Even if Yong-ge worked hard, he couldn't earn half a tael of silver at once. It was even more impossible to exchange it from smaller denominations. In their current situation, they could barely scrape together a single silver, so how could Yong-ge have saved up?
Yong-ge realized that he couldn't escape, so he could only partially reveal the truth with a mix of truth and lies. "I saved someone some time ago, and they used this silver to thank me. Father, I really didn't do anything bad. I didn't tell you because that person is an outsider."
"An outsider?" Li Wang became a bit nervous. "How did you save them?"
Yong-ge took out a tiger bone whistle hanging from his collar. "With this. He was surrounded by a pack of wolves, so I blew the tiger bone whistle, scaring the wolves away…"
Li Wang hurriedly told him to put it away. "Didn't I tell you not to use it? You have such audacity, daring to go into the mountains!"
"Father, I only gather wild vegetables outside the mountains, I didn't go in."
Li Wang breathed a sigh of relief. "Luckily, it was an outsider this time, and he has left. Don't ever do this again. What if someone thinks your tiger bone whistle is a treasure and tries to snatch it from you? Let's see how you handle that!"
Yong-ge lowered his head, not daring to tell his father that the outsider was still in the village and planned to stay for a long time.
But at that time, he hid in the woods and didn't let Cheng Duo see him blow the tiger bone whistle. Moreover, when he went there, Cheng Duo was already unconscious, so it should be fine, right?
Besides, even if Cheng Duo saw it, it wouldn't matter. Cheng Duo was so capable, why would he be interested in his whistle…
(T/N: A huge shoutout to 'Lana' for giving me coffee(s). 3 extra chapters to celebrate that.)
"Why were you late today?" Cheng Duo couldn't help but ask when he saw Yong-ge arriving late.
This young man is usually very diligent, coming early every day before dawn, never being late. But now the sun was already high up, and Cheng Duo thought about how he tricked him into helping with sewing yesterday, suspecting that he might regret it.
Yong-ge stopped hesitantly, "I, I…"
He had taken Cheng Duo's money and shouldn't have been lazy.
Seeing him like that, Cheng Duo was afraid of scaring him away, so he kindly let him off, "Forget it, come over and start making clothes. I have some free time now."
He appeared to be urging, but it was also a test.
Yong-ge had already prepared the ground, but he hadn't brought the seedlings he had ordered from Village Head Li. So they had agreed yesterday that Yong-ge would come today to make clothes.
"Okay." Yong-ge breathed a sigh of relief, went over to find the needle and thread that Cheng Duo had bought from Zhou Huolang, and took out scissors, hemp rope, and a piece of dark fabric.
When it was time to measure Cheng Duo's size, he held the hemp rope and felt at a loss—this person was too tall and strong! Moreover, because he had been working all morning, even approaching a bit made him feel the steaming heat coming from Cheng Duo, making his head dizzy…
Cheng Duo was oblivious and opened his arms, urging, "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up!"
"Oh…" Yong-ge was influenced by his straightforward attitude and felt that he had overreacted. He took a deep breath, approached Cheng Duo while holding his breath, and started measuring behind him with the hemp rope.
Because of the heat, Cheng Duo had already taken off his tactical jacket and was only wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, revealing his well-built arms. The cotton fabric of the short sleeves was damp with sweat, thin and close-fitting, outlining the man's broad shoulders and firm deltoids, a standard inverted triangle figure. Below that was a slender waist and narrow hips, exuding the aggressiveness of an adult male…
Cheng Duo's muscles weren't as exaggerated as many people imagined. After all, his muscles were the result of hard work to make a living, completely different from those who eat protein and train to bulk up. Without sufficient nutrition intake, his muscles were only toned.
But he was too tall, standing at about 1.9 meters, and this height combined with the intimidating aura developed during the apocalypse gave him a strong sense of oppression when he stood out. In the minds of others, Cheng Duo's image was akin to those towering two-meter-tall, two-hundred-kilogram muscular men from another race.
Yong-ge had been with Cheng Duo for a long time, so he didn't find him that scary. However, he also felt that Cheng Duo was too tall, and even to measure his shoulder line, he had to stand on tiptoes…
In fact, Yong-ge was standing far away to avoid arousing suspicion. Because he was standing on his toes and unstable, he accidentally pressed on Cheng Duo's back to gain support.
But feeling the hot body underneath the clothes, he quickly retracted his hand, and his ears unknowingly turned red from embarrassment.
"You, you can measure your waist and height yourself, just tie a knot." Yong-ge gave up and handed the hemp rope to Cheng Duo.
Coincidentally, Cheng Duo had been tickled all over by Yong-ge's almost imperceptible movements. He wasn't a dead person after all, and when someone made movements behind him, especially such light movements, as if sweeping with a feather, his attention unconsciously shifted to his back.
Just a moment ago, Yong-ge had pressed his back, and before he could react, the other person handed him the hemp rope.
Cheng Duo unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, just measure against the body, tighter or looser?"
"Whatever you want." Yong-ge turned to the side, almost afraid to look at him.
In order to ease the awkwardness, he racked his brains and finally remembered what he forgot to tell Cheng Duo: "Um, I accidentally broke your bowl. Can I deduct it from my wages as compensation?"
"What did you break?" Cheng Duo was busy taking measurements and casually asked, then reacted, "Wait, did you break the bowl?"
He was about to say that if it broke, it broke, and there was no need for compensation. But he remembered Yong-ge's hurried arrival with a slightly disheveled collar and an unpleasant complexion, which made him think more–
"Did your family head hit you? Did he misunderstand something?" Cheng Duo's face turned serious, even furrowing his brows.
Could it be that the bamboo rat meat caused a family dispute in their household?
Yong-ge was dumbfounded, "What… family head?"
He wasn't even married, so where did the family head come from!
Cheng Duo noticed his unusual tone and carefully examined Yong-ge's expression, surprised as he said, "The day I entered the village, the man I fought with, the one you helped up from the ground, isn't he your husband?"
"Of course not, that's my eldest brother!"
"But you don't look anything alike?" Cheng Duo pointed out straightforwardly.
Yong-ge raised his hand and touched his own eyes, his gaze flickering. "I… can't I look like my mother?"
"So it was your mother, and she's from a different ethnicity?" Cheng Duo still felt something was off. He remembered that two of the men he fought seemed to be brothers, "Do you have another older brother?"
Seeing Yong-ge nod, he continued, "Your eldest brother and second brother didn't inherit any genes from your mother. It's impossible… are you not from the same mother?"
Yong-ge was completely bewildered by terms like inheritance and genes, but that didn't prevent him from admiring Cheng Duo—this person's brain was just too sharp! With just a few words, he guessed that he and his elder and second brothers didn't have the same mother!
Yong-ge's expression was easy to understand, and Cheng Duo understood at a glance. He didn't need him to answer, "It seems I misunderstood… but what happened to the bowl? What do you mean by 'broke'?"
"My eldest brother and second brother took it, and I couldn't get it back," Yong-ge said gloomily. At this point, there was no point in concealing it any longer. Cheng Duo would easily find out by casually asking around in the village about his elder and second brothers' character.
"You mean they took it by force?" Cheng Duo scoffed. Considering the character of those two, and how they treated Yong-ge, what was there to not understand?
"They didn't lay a hand on you?"
Yong-ge shook his head, "No." A push didn't count as physical harm.
Yong-ge didn't completely deny it, indicating that there had been physical altercations before. Otherwise, if any one's older brother were misunderstood by outsiders, the younger brother would only explain, "My brother never lays a hand on me."
Cheng Duo's face darkened, "Alright, I understand."
Yong-ge thought he agreed to compensate for the bowl with his wages and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Little did he know that Cheng Duo was already calculating how to teach those two scoundrels a lesson.
He didn't care about a bowl, but if they got away with snatching it from him, how could he let it go?
Cheng Duo pondered for a moment, had lunch, and then went alone to Shanzi's house. He knew where Shanzi lived because he had bought a bundle of wheat stalks from him for two coins before, and later when he needed more for building the kitchen, he sent Yong-ge to get it.
Of course, the stalks of Shanzi's family's wheat were not enough. Their land was so small, how much wheat stalks could they produce in a year? Since Cheng Duo wanted to buy enough to cover the entire roof, he gave money to Shanzi and asked him to help with the purchase in the village.
When Shanzi saw him, he thought he had come for the wheat stalks and quickly said, "Brother Cheng, why have you come? I haven't collected much of the wheat stalks you wanted…"
Shanzi felt a little ashamed because he had made an agreement with the villagers but hadn't had the chance to collect them yet.
Cheng Duo waved his hand and said, "That's not urgent. I want you to inquire about something else…"
After hearing Cheng Duo's request, Shanzi was surprised, but that surprise quickly turned into excitement. He said, "Brother Cheng, are you trying to teach those two scoundrels a lesson? They really disgust people. Every time they do something wrong, it's up to Yong-ge to clean up after them. Don't worry, I'll take care of this matter, and you don't need to give me any money!"
Shanzi still didn't know about Li Da and Li Er stealing the beef, and Wu Guihua wouldn't spread the word in the village using her own money. Li Wang, Li Changsheng, and others wouldn't either.
His enthusiasm for helping was partly because of Yong-ge and partly because he wanted to vent his anger.
Shanzi's father was often away from the village, so Li Da and Li Er would frequently bully him. Sometimes when he was walking on the road without provoking them, the two would come over and kick him, just to enjoy his embarrassed appearance.
Shanzi had wanted to get back at them for a long time but was limited by his young age and lack of strength. What does it mean to vent for Yong-ge?
Cheng Duo denied without thinking, "Of course not. It's because they provoked me and caused trouble for me that I want to teach them a lesson."
He then cautioned Shanzi, "Only you and I should know about this. We can't let anyone else find out."
It wouldn't look good for him to cause trouble just after joining the village. Although scoundrels like Li Da and Li Er might have a worse reputation in the village, he was still a stranger and feared by the villagers. If things escalated, it would make it difficult for Village Head Li.
At night, as expected, Shanzi arrived stealthily. Cheng Duo asked him to lead him to the place and then sent him away, saying, "Go back early. It's not safe outside in the dark."
"Oh…" Shanzi felt a bit disappointed, but he didn't have the courage to protest against Cheng Duo. He obediently disappeared into the darkness.
Cheng Duo stood outside Zhao Widow's house, hearing the voices of two men and one woman inside, laughing and flirting, enjoying a festive feast.
"So, you two troublemakers remember me. Where were you fooling around last night, coming here reeking of alcohol?"
"Don't worry about that. Didn't we bring you good wine and food? Can't that satisfy you?"
"That's right…"
Behind their backs, Zhao Widow rolled her eyes. They only brought such a small amount of food and wine, and now they were eating and drinking in her house. What would be left?
After a while, Zhao Widow got up and went to the kitchen to heat up the dishes. Taking this opportunity, Cheng Duo silently entered the house, knocked out the two intoxicated men, and carried them away, one in each hand.
When Zhao Widow came out of the kitchen with the hot dishes, she saw an empty table. At first, she thought they had gone to relieve themselves behind the house. But as she waited and they didn't come back, she realized she needed to go look for them.
But behind the house, even the outhouse was empty. Zhao Widow, shrouded in the darkness of the night, was struck with cold sweat. "This… feels like I've seen a ghost—"
She knew she couldn't go out to look for Li Da and Li Er. After all, they were involved in an illicit relationship. What would happen if someone found out?
Her legs went weak, and she leaned against the wall as she walked back into the house. She closed the door tightly and refused to come out again.
Cheng Duo carried Li Da and Li Er, initially thinking of throwing them on the mountain to be food for wolves. But then he had a second thought. These two guys didn't seem to have done anything extremely heinous. Would it be too much to kill them?
After pondering for a moment, he decided to take them to Niu Family Village. He tossed them into the water tank in the backyard of the Old Niu's house, where a dozen or so people had tragically died.
Cheng Duo squatted on the roof and waited for a while. Finally, Li Da shivered and woke up from the cold. "Hmm… Whoa, it's so cold! Lao Er? Lao Er, wake up! How did we end up in the water?"
Li Er also woke up, groggily asking, "Lao Da, where are we?"
"How the fuck should I know!" Li Da snapped, thinking that they had been walking around while drunk and accidentally fell into the water.
But when the two of them, illuminated by the moonlight in the courtyard, saw the ground covered in ghost money, white mourning cloth, and a dozen coffins resting in the main hall, and when they realized they had suddenly appeared here… they were instantly terrified. "Ghost! There are ghosts—"
Both of them jumped out of the water tank almost simultaneously, screaming in horror as they ran outside. It was nighttime, and they were in a panic, so they dashed out of the Niu Family House and headed in the opposite direction of Yang Village, quickly disappearing from sight.
The dogs in Niu Family Village barked a few times, but none of the villagers came out to investigate. The entire village remained eerily silent.
Cheng Duo emerged from the darkness, slightly surprised by the unexpected turn of events, but his surprise was short-lived. He dusted off his hands and went home to sleep.
Little did he know that Li Da and Li Er wouldn't return for several months…
After five more days, Yong-ge finally finished making Cheng Duo's clothes. He could have finished them in one or two days, but halfway through, Third Aunt sent over vegetable seedlings, and he was busy planting them because he was afraid they would wither.
On this day, close to noon, Cheng Duo finished his work and came over to drink water. He saw the clothes hanging on the wooden rack and realised they were already done when he picked them up.
He became overjoyed and hurriedly put them in his embrace, eager to go outside. "I'm going out for a while."
Yong-ge in the kitchen quickly followed him out. "Where are you going? It's almost lunchtime!"
Without hesitation, Cheng Duo said, "You go ahead and eat. I'm going to take a shower."
He had been waiting for a chance to change his clothes; he couldn't wait for even a second longer!
Yong-ge saw the clothes held in Cheng Duo's embrace and heard the words "take a shower," causing his face to involuntarily turn red. He nervously asked, stammering, "Can't you go after eating?"
"No," Cheng Duo refused. He had been… no, he is still stinking! Didn't this young ger have a sense of smell?
Before this, Cheng Duo would always shower at night, sneaking off to the lakeside where Yong-ge washed clothes before. But now, in broad daylight, he definitely couldn't go there.
Cheng Duo thought for a moment and went to the bamboo forest where he used to fetch water before, which was next to Yong-ge's cave. After washing, he went inside and saw that Yong-ge must have been there afterwards. He had even tidied up the messy cave caused by him.
Seeing this cave, Cheng Duo thought of the Li brothers, Li Da and Li Er. Yong-ge had made this cave to hide from them when necessary, right?
Interestingly enough, after that night, Li Da and Li Er never appeared again. When Shanzi came to tell him, his expression was strange, clearly suspecting Cheng Duo of killing them.
In fact, Cheng Duo was also puzzled. Those two came in the middle of the night, they wouldn't have fallen off a cliff and broken their necks, right? Otherwise, why would two grown men suddenly go missing?
Fortunately, Li Da and Li Er were originally unreliable, often not returning home. It was probably their usual behaviour, so Li Wang and Yong-ge hadn't noticed them until now…
When Cheng Duo returned, Yong-ge was keeping the food warm in the pot and was still waiting for him.
Cheng Duo was a little surprised. "Didn't I tell you to eat first?"
Seeing Cheng Duo wearing the clothes he had personally made, Yong-ge's gaze suddenly changed, but he quickly averted his eyes, nervously saying, "Actually, it wasn't that long of a wait…"
He didn't dare to look at Cheng Duo. Just the thought that the clothes he had held in his hands, stitching them meticulously, were now worn by Cheng Duo, made him very uncomfortable.
No wonder those unmarried girls and young gers wouldn't make clothes for other men. It was too intimate…
"Never mind, let's eat."
"Okay."
During the meal, every time Yong-ge saw that clothing, his face would turn red. Unfortunately, Cheng Duo was completely oblivious. After finishing the meal, he even gave Yong-ge a jar of sheep oil that Zhou Huolang had delivered yesterday. "Here, you can use it to moisturize your hands and face."
Yong-ge's heart skipped a beat, and he stuttered, "W-Why?"
"Just consider it… a reward. Didn't I say I would give you some golden wound medicine? I see your injuries have healed, so using some sheep oil would be more suitable," Cheng Duo casually said.
He didn't expect that Cheng Duo would still remember…
Yong-ge's heartbeat unconsciously quickened, and the dense heat crawled up his cheeks. He didn't even know how he managed to receive the jar of sheep oil.
Then, throughout the entire afternoon, Yong-ge wandered around like a headless fly, appearing busy but not knowing what he was actually doing.
Finally, he took a piece of fabric for making a bed sheet, turned his back to Cheng Duo, facing the entrance of the mountain hollow, and reluctantly calmed his mind to sew stitch by stitch.
During a break in changing the needle and thread, he noticed that Third Aunt had already walked over with vegetable seedlings.
"Third Aunt." Yong-ge quickly put down the needle and thread and stood up to help.
"It's fine, how heavy can a few vegetable seedlings be?" Third Aunt smiled and put down the bundle. She pointed out each type of seedling she brought today to Yong-ge. "Today, I brought small greens, chives, Chinese lettuce, and some onion seeds. You can sprinkle them nearby, and they will grow."
"Oh… okay." Yong-ge responded absentmindedly. He belatedly ran to the kitchen to pour a bowl of water for Third Aunt, then picked up the bundle again, ready to take it to the field.
Seeing this, Third Aunt quickly reminded him, "Don't take all of them there. We might not be able to plant everything this afternoon…"
Yong-ge snapped out of his daze after her reminder and carried the bundle to the back of the house. It was moist and shady there, perfect for storing the seedlings.
Third Aunt felt that Yong-ge was acting strange today, as if his mind was elsewhere. His ears were even slightly red. Could he be sick?
Until… she saw Cheng Duo not far away, nailing wooden stakes, and noticed the clothes he was wearing. Finally, she remembered the forgotten details from a few days ago!
She had washed Cheng Duo's clothes before, and at that time, she found the patches on his clothes familiar. Now, upon closer inspection, they were indeed Yong-ge's stitches!
So, these two had already known each other?
Third Aunt looked at this one, then looked at that one, recalling what the head of the household had said. If Cheng Duo was willing to stay, it would be greatly beneficial to their village. Although she didn't understand the reason, she had great faith in the head of the household's judgement. If he saw something in Cheng Duo, then he must be right.
With this in mind, Third Aunt suddenly had an idea: It's simple to keep Cheng Duo here, right? Just find him a village girl to marry!
Third Aunt's greatest hobby in life was matchmaking. Once this thought arose, she couldn't let go of it. Seeing that Yong-ge was busy with the seedlings and didn't have time to come over, she approached Cheng Duo hesitantly and called out, "Um, Cheng Duo…"
Thanks to Cheng Duo's decent attitude during his last visit, Third Aunt dared to approach him more boldly this time. However, she still felt a bit afraid of Cheng Duo, so her voice was very low.
Fortunately, Cheng Duo was perceptive and immediately noticed her, saying, "Third Aunt, is it time to settle the bill? Wait a moment."
Initially,Village Head Li didn't charge him, but Cheng Duo didn't want to take advantage of anyone and insisted on paying.
"That's not urgent…" Third Aunt smiled shyly. "I, um, wanted to ask you, how old are you? Are you married?"
Cheng Duo understood her intentions at once and without hesitation, he replied, "I don't want to get married yet."
"Why? Which man doesn't want to get married when he reaches a certain age?" Third Aunt didn't believe it and pressed further, "Are you worried that you don't have money or a place to support a wife?"
Cheng Duo didn't want to explain that he had witnessed too much human ugliness in the apocalypse. Those couples who were deeply in love, married for several years… when they faced difficulties, the first person they pushed away was their partner.
Of course, there were those who stayed together through thick and thin, but they were a rare few. Cheng Duo didn't think he was that lucky to encounter a soulmate who would stand by his side through life and death. Even his own blood relatives would betray him, let alone strangers.
Cheng Duo thought for a moment and replied, "I had a fiancée before. I heard that she's still alive, so until I confirm whether she's married or not, I won't get married."
Third Aunt didn't expect Cheng Duo to be so loyal and affectionate. She was clearly impressed and took a while to say, "But as a grown man, you can't remain unmarried forever, right? You could at least marry a younger…"
Cheng Duo shook his head again, "I can't betray my principles."
Third Aunt glanced at Cheng Duo, thinking that his fiancée had fled and even if she managed to preserve her innocence under the protection of her family, she would eventually marry someone local for livelihood reasons.
But she didn't dare say it. To openly say that a man's fiancée had married someone else would be akin to pointing fingers at him and calling him a cuckold.
Third Aunt didn't dare to persuade him any further. She took the money for the vegetables that Cheng Duo gave her and left dejectedly.
After she left, Yong-ge emerged from behind the house after a while, holding the seedlings and went to plant them in the field.
Cheng Duo glanced at him, unsure if he had heard the conversation, but then he thought that even if he had heard, it didn't matter. After all, the "fiancée" was a fictional character he had made up, so it wouldn't matter if people found out.
Yong-ge kept his head down, appearing to diligently plant the vegetables, but his pale complexion had already betrayed him.
When Yong-ge heard Cheng Duo mention the words "fiancée," his heart turned cold, feeling ridiculous about himself.
He thought that after spending so much time with Cheng Duo, they had already developed an understanding.
Cheng Duo had complained more than once about the lack of oil in their food and criticized him for being frugal. He even ate the unpleasant-tasting offal and waste soup that Yong-ge didn't want to throw away, always bearing it for him.
But in reality, Cheng Duo always ate obediently.
Seeing that Cheng Duo cared for his father and often found excuses for him to take the food home, even though he didn't explicitly say it, Yong-ge knew in his heart.
Moreover, Cheng Duo had good habits and always informed Yong-ge whenever he went in and out. He never disappeared suddenly.
…
Perhaps it was because of these small details that Yong-ge developed thoughts he shouldn't have.
Yong-ge sniffed, feeling a sourness in his nose, but luckily, no one knew. He hadn't completely lost face yet…
Yong-ge felt embarrassed, so he didn't show it in front of Cheng Duo. He acted as usual. However, after finishing the planting, he sewed much faster, and he firmly refused to sew clothes anymore. When Cheng Duo asked for the reason, he replied with an ambiguous tone, "It's not good if others see it."
Cheng Duo pondered, wondering if the older ladies and young women in ancient times were familiar with needlework, and if Third Aunt misunderstood and came to ask him?
Yong-ge must have overheard their conversation and knew that his sewn clothes were recognized by Third Aunt, which made him angry and ashamed.
In this case, Cheng Duo couldn't force Yong-ge anymore. Fortunately, he had a set of modern clothes that he brought with him. Although they didn't fit the era, it wouldn't be a big problem as long as he didn't leave the village. He had enough for changing and washing.
Cheng Duo was past the age of dressing up, and after struggling for ten years in the post-apocalyptic world, clothes were only necessary as long as they were wearable. Luxurious clothing held no meaning for him.
However, there was one thing he might need to sew for himself—underwear. Otherwise, it felt uncomfortable with nothing down there, swinging in the wind.
So, after dark that day, Cheng Duo sat under the oil lamp and clumsily sewed underwear for himself. But while Yong-ge found sewing easy, Cheng Duo seemed to lack coordination between his hands and eyes. Even though his eyes were focused on one spot, the needle would end up in another place…
Looking at the crooked stitches he sewed, Cheng Duo felt that it was more difficult than climbing a mountain to catch a tiger. With a little force from his hands, the needle and thread would break on their own.
Feeling frustrated, Cheng Duo simply threw away the two pieces of fabric and went to bed.
The next day, Yong-ge came looking for the sewing basket and saw the fabric cut open by Cheng Duo, with traces of stitches that had been undone. He wondered what Cheng Duo was planning to do.
But at this moment, he was too lazy to criticize Cheng Duo for being wasteful. After all, it wasn't his own home that was being wasted. Why should he worry about it?
It was Cheng Duo who felt a little embarrassed when he saw Yong-ge staring at the fabric. Firstly, he secretly sewed the clothes, and now Yong-ge discovered his poor imitation skills. Secondly, the purpose of making those things was a bit hard to mention…
Fortunately, Yong-ge didn't ask further questions, which relieved Cheng Duo.
Apart from this difficulty, Cheng Duo was making progress quickly in repairing the house. He didn't demolish the original mud walls but reinforced them with wooden stakes. He mixed clay and crushed wheat stalks to patch the walls, giving them a fresh coat. He also raised the parts that needed to be higher and made them solid.
Just as Cheng Duo was preparing to work on the roof the next day, there was a sudden heavy rain that night.
Actually, spring was a season with frequent rain. Although there was less rain in Wudu County, there had been two light showers before. So every night, Yong-ge would help Cheng Duo move things that couldn't get wet into the kitchen, the only place with a roof. Tonight was no exception.
But Cheng Duo himself slept outside, so he was caught off guard and got thoroughly soaked by the heavy rain.
"Damn!" Cheng Duo wiped the rain off his face and cursed the tricky weather, but it was met with a flash of lightning and thunder.
Cheng Duo didn't dare to curse anymore. He had already experienced traversing to another world. Who knew if there were immortals in this world?
As Cheng Duo busied himself tidying up his bedding and bringing the recently bought wheat stalks into the kitchen, a figure hurriedly approached holding a broken umbrella. Through the rain curtain, he called out, "Cheng Duo!"
"Why are you here?" Cheng Duo looked at him surprisingly, then said, "You came at the right time, help me bring the wheat stalks inside!"
Yong-ge agreed and, finding it inconvenient to hold the umbrella, simply threw it away and went to help collect the wheat stalks.
Actually, it had been raining for a while, and the upper part of the wheat stalks had already been soaked. But the two of them still braved the rain and carried all the stalks into the kitchen.
In the end, the kitchen was packed full, and they couldn't squeeze anything else inside. Both of them ended up standing under the eaves like two drenched chickens, pitifully hiding from the rain.
Cheng Duo noticed that Yong-ge was not wearing a headscarf today. His usually messy hair was also soaked by the rain, swept back, revealing a very handsome face.
Although his skin was still not fair, the rainwater had dampened the tiny cracks on his face, making his skin appear unusually smooth. His brow bones and eye sockets were truly beautiful, with a straight and upright nose and a slightly upturned tip. Due to the cold rain, his cheeks and lips had a slight reddish hue.
Yong-ge noticed that the person beside him seemed to be staring at his face in the dark, so he uncomfortably turned his head away. Although he knew it was too dark for Cheng Duo to see, for a brief moment, he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of anticipation…
Yong-ge thought he was being foolish. After all, Cheng Duo had mentioned waiting for his fiancée. He had actually felt regret just now. Regret that the sky was too dark and his disguise hadn't been washed away. If Cheng Duo saw his face clearly, he might change his mind…
But he quickly dismissed this thought. It was evident that Cheng Duo was very fond of his fiancée, and even if he temporarily snatched him away, once he regretted it, Yong-ge's life would definitely be miserable.
Besides, what if the girl was also waiting for him? If he did this, wouldn't he be just like those villains in plays who separate lovers?
Yong-ge lowered his head in distress, no longer daring to indulge in random thoughts.
The pitter-patter sound of the rain surrounded the two of them, as if this corner of the world was the only place left, tranquil and peaceful… Suddenly, Cheng Duo remembered an experience of being trapped in a gas station during a heavy rain while searching for supplies.
At that time, the group had split into several factions, and no one trusted each other. As a lone ranger, Cheng Duo couldn't gain anyone's trust and could only be assigned to guard the door, alone and lost in thought, gazing at the city under the curtain of rain.
He had really wished for someone to be by his side at that time, even if they didn't speak, just to experience the feeling of companionship…
Snapping back to reality from his reminiscence, Cheng Duo suddenly felt inclined to chat, "Why did you suddenly come over?"
"I heard the rain outside the window and got a little worried…" Yong-ge stopped himself in time, feeling that he was being overly concerned. Cheng Duo was a grown man, what could possibly go wrong? Why did he rush over in the middle of the night?
Cheng Duo also thought about it, "I was planning to work on the roof tomorrow, I don't know if the rain will stop. If it continues for several days, it would be troublesome…"
"That's true, these wheat stalks will get moldy if they stay wet like this."
"No, I meant that without a kitchen, it would be inconvenient to cook. After finally eating normal meals for two days, I don't want to go back to eating bland food without salt or seasonings." Cheng Duo made a joke, recalling the various random dishes he made back in the cave.
Yong-ge couldn't force a smile. Cheng Duo was always like this, saying and doing things that made him misunderstand, even though there was no ulterior motive.
This person kept his distance from him, never approaching, never making any advances. But at certain times, it seemed like he forgot he was a ger?
"I'm going back now." Yong Ge suddenly said gloomily, then rushed out to pick up his umbrella and swiftly disappeared into the rain.
Left alone in the rain, Cheng Duo muttered to himself, "…"
Yong-ge eventually noticed that Li Da and Li Er had gone missing. Although his two elder brothers often stayed away from home, they would still come back every few days to change their clothes. It had been more than ten days this time, and he hadn't seen any dirty clothes in their room.
Yong Ge told Li Wang about this, but Li Wang didn't pay much attention. "Those two troublemakers probably went off somewhere again. Don't worry about them!"
Despite saying that, the next day when Li Wang had some free time, he still went to the places Li Da and Li Er often frequented, even swallowing his pride and asking their friends.
But until Cheng Duo's roof was completed, Li Wang hadn't found any news about Li Da and Li Er. Yong-ge felt something was amiss and suggested, "Father, should we inform Village Head Li and ask him to send people to help search?"
"No need." Li Wang insisted.
Yong-ge suggested that he would also go and search, but Li Wang still disagreed. Frustrated, Li Wang coldly said, "I am their father, and I owe them! But you don't owe them, and neither do the people in this village!"
"Father, what are you saying? Regardless, they are my own brothers…" Yong-ge found this statement a bit strange.
Li Wang snorted coldly, "When those two bastards bullied you, why didn't you mention that they were your own brothers? Yong-ge, don't interfere in this matter! Let me tell you honestly, I don't even expect to find them alive. If we can bring back their bodies and bury them, it would be enough to fulfill our father-son bond!"
"Father, don't say that. Big brother and second brother might be fine. What if… what if they just forgot to come home?" Yong-ge actually wanted to say, "What if they went to the gambling den again?" A few years ago, there was a time when they didn't come home for more than ten days. But after that incident, all their land was taken away by the gambling den… In order to avoid making dad angry, he had to change his wording.
Li Wang shook his head, "They have no money or belongings. Our situation is not the same as before, and those gambling dens wouldn't keep them for so long. Yong-ge, rest assured, I have made preparations. Nothing serious will happen."
"Father, don't always think of the worst…"
Li Wang sighed silently. It wasn't that he always thought of the worst. He had searched all the places those two bastards frequented, and even their friends didn't know anything.
Li Wang stared blankly at the entrance, his face gradually showing a hint of sadness. He remembered when those two children were young, they were actually very well-behaved and cute. But their mother died, and he brought Yong-ge back from outside when he returned.
At that time, Yong-ge was already three years old, and his wife had only been dead for less than three years. So the people in the village said that he had brought a child from outside when his wife was sick, which was why he was unwilling to spend money on her treatment. But he didn't know why he didn't bring back the mother, only bringing back one child.
Since then, those two children changed and began to resent him and resent Yong-ge.
What could he do? Jin Tigu repeatedly urged him before his death not to reveal Yong-ge's identity. Those two children were too young, and he was afraid they would blurt out and let the villagers know.
Yong-ge's appearance was too distinctive, and if those people from the foreign ethnic groups came looking, they would recognize him at a glance.
But when those two children grew up and became like that, he couldn't speak anymore.
Li Wang was just an uneducated commoner. He didn't understand the concept of not being able to have both loyalty and righteousness. But every time his two sons bullied the child of his benefactor, he felt immense pain.
In fact, Li Wang had thought a couple of times about revealing Yong-ge's identity to resolve the father-son grievances. But those two children had already gone astray, even sharing a woman between them. If they found out that Yong-ge was not their real sibling… Li Wang really didn't dare to think about what those two scoundrels would do.
That's why he taught Yong-ge to keep his true identity hidden and didn't tell him about his own background, for fear that he would accidentally let it slip.
Li Wang was a stubborn person. If he said not to let Yong-ge look for them, then Yong-ge wouldn't be allowed to go. He even threatened that if Yong-ge didn't listen, he shouldn't call him "father" anymore.
But Yong-ge couldn't bear to see his father limping from one village to another, asking for information. How could he not feel distressed? He didn't dare to make a big fuss, so he secretly went to find Zhao Widow.
Zhao Widow remembered the situation that night and closed the door in front of Yong-ge, saying, "I don't know!"
Zhao Widow had always suspected that her dead husband had come back and caught her cheating, so she warned Li Da and Li Er to disappear. Now that Yong-ge said they couldn't be found, Zhao Widow became even more afraid. No matter how Yong-ge knocked on the door outside, she refused to open it.
Yong-ge was helpless, and Zhao Widow refused to speak. He couldn't force her to say anything, as it wouldn't be beneficial for both families if things escalated…
Gradually, the villagers also noticed that Li Da and Li Er were missing, but they were happy about it. They hoped they wouldn't come back.
There was gloom and despair in Li Wang's family, while on the other hand, Li Mancang's family was preparing for a marriage proposal. It was said that a merchant's son had taken a liking to Li Changfeng-ge, so the butcher had arranged for a matchmaker to come and finalize the marriage in the coming days.
Wu Guihua was full of joy when she mentioned this marriage. She no longer cared about proper seniority and said that if Feng-ge's marriage was settled, she would quickly find a wealthy bride for Changsheng, surpassing Feng-ge in getting the marriage done first.
In fact, if Feng-ge's marriage went through, it would benefit Changsheng's family as well. Marrying into a well-off family was desirable for everyone. Wu Guihua would carefully select a girl with a generous dowry for Changsheng, so as not to let those poor and humble people take advantage.
Wu Guihua, with her thick-skinned face, finished speaking with a smug expression and asked Li Wang to help: "You are Feng-ge's second uncle. Don't say that I, as your sister-in-law, didn't give you an opportunity. When the time comes, show yourself in front of Master Yan. Maybe, because of Feng-ge's face, he will invite you to their house as a gatekeeper or something. That would be a great stroke of luck."
With Li Wang's old and crippled appearance, it would indeed be a stroke of luck to be hired as a gatekeeper by a wealthy family. However, Wu Guihua's words were somewhat insulting. After all, Li Wang was Feng-ge's second uncle. How could a second uncle go to his nephew's in-laws' house to be a gatekeeper?
Wu Guihua may have said it intentionally or unintentionally, but Li Wang couldn't refute her words and could only remain silent.
Yong-ge couldn't bear to listen anymore and interrupted, "Aunt, my father still needs to look for my older brothers. He doesn't have the time…"
"Those two grown men need to be looked for? Most likely, they've gone off fooling around again!" Wu Guihua waved her hand dismissively. "In my opinion, it's best if they don't come back. They might scare Master Yan. As for you, young ger, Feng-ge used to speak up for you frequently. Just because you're jealous that he found a good family, you're hiding and refusing to come!"
Wu Guihua was feeling triumphant at the moment. She thought that Li Wang and Yong-ge wouldn't dare to offend her now, so she spoke without restraint, revealing her true nature as a petty person.
Yong-ge didn't even bother to get angry. Hasn't his aunt been saying nasty things and doing disgusting things for over ten years? If he got angry every time, he would have died of anger long ago!
Actually, if it were just his aunt, he would refuse a hundred times over and even stop his father. However, when he thought about his cousin Feng-ge, who had been relatively kind to him, his thoughts were similar to Li Wang's. After all, they were close relatives, and Feng-ge had always spoken up for them. Out of obligation and reason, he should make a trip.
Coincidentally, Yong-ge had already finished his work at Cheng Duo's place, and he was looking for an excuse to leave. Now he had a reason…
In the past, Yong-ge would have been delighted to keep working for other families, hoping it would never end so that he could have a steady income. But now, he really couldn't stand it at Cheng Duo's place. Many people in the village had already seen him helping Cheng Duo grow vegetables, and to avoid gossip, it was better for him to leave early.
Cheng Duo had just received the final batch of tables, chairs, and beds delivered by the carpenter a couple of days ago, and he was feeling satisfied when he heard that the "cook" he hired cheaply was about to leave.
Cheng Duo didn't look for any other excuses and directly paid Yong-ge his wages, a full three taels of silver.
Yong-ge refused to take it. He remembered how many meals he had cooked himself, and besides, Cheng Duo provided him with meals. He couldn't bring himself to accept such a high wage.
At this moment, Yong-ge had forgotten that he used to be different. Perhaps it was due to his stubbornness that he always felt that Cheng Duo was giving him so much money because of that incident. He didn't want it. If he took it, he would completely lose face.
"Take it. Consider it as payment for helping me with the needlework," Cheng Duo didn't know the hidden thoughts in Yong-ge's heart. The reason he gave Yong-ge so much money was partly because Yong Ge helped him with the needlework, and partly as compensation for their search for Li Da and Li Er.
Although Cheng Duo felt that he wasn't at fault and those two guys deserved it, his actions did cause unnecessary worry for innocent Li Wang and Yong-ge.
In fact, after paying the carpenter, Cheng Duo didn't have much money left. Otherwise, he would have compensated them a bit more. The silver he snatched from Meng Ji and the three foreigners was around seventeen or eighteen taels in total, and he had already spent most of it. He needed to have at least five taels left in his hands to feel at ease.
"You've already given me mutton fat," Yong-ge shook his head, his attitude resolute.
Cheng Duo paused for a moment. Well, they were in the same village anyway, and he could secretly look after them. Moreover, he owed them a debt of gratitude for saving his life. It wouldn't hurt to owe a bit more.
Yong-ge carefully counted his wages, returned the change for the meal, and then pocketed the money bag before leaving.
That night, Cheng Duo, who had filled his stomach with leftover steamed buns and vegetables, lay on his bed and couldn't help but think of the scene where Yong-ge counted the money. Stubborn and calculating, Yong-ge seemed to be hiding something. Every time Cheng Duo recalled it, he felt uneasy.
Cheng Duo didn't know that after Yong-ge left, he secretly shed tears, wiped them away, and returned home as if nothing had happened.
The next day, Yong-ge went to his uncle's house and helped with various chores. He cleaned and washed, washed dishes, and cut vegetables, running around at their beck and call.
His father had it even worse. He had to tidy up the yard, chop firewood, fetch water, and occasionally run errands to help others.
That night, Yong-ge boiled hot water to soak his and his father's feet. Li Wang suddenly said, "You don't have to go tomorrow. I'll go by myself."
Yong-ge looked up in confusion, "Father?"
"You're my only ger. It's not good for outsiders to see you," Li Wang said with a serious face, and after a while, he added, "Stay away from Feng-ge in the future."
He had seen it. Feng-ge was inside the house, chatting and dressing up with a group of gers, while Yong-ge was always the one serving tea and pouring water. Li Wang used to think that Feng-ge was a good kid and hoped that Yong-ge could make some close friends through him, so he could socialize and chat with them after getting married.
He still had some thoughts. He thought that there would surely be many people paying attention to Yong-ge during the proposal ceremony. But now it seemed unnecessary. If Yong-ge went, he would only be treated as a servant, a ger serving tea and pouring water. Who would give him a second glance?
Because of Feng-ge's actions, Li Wang was extremely disappointed in him and his whole family, and he even lost his fondness for his honest nephew, Li Changsheng. He would still go tomorrow, just to avoid gossip in the village.
When Yong-ge got married in the future, if that family dared not to come, he would make the whole village know about it! He could cut off all ties, as having an older brother like Li Da was as good as having none. He would listen to everything Wu Guihua said!
The next day, Wu Guihua did ask about Yong-ge. Li Wang didn't even glance at her and directly said, "There are many people today, and it's inconvenient for an unmarried ger like Yong-ge to come."
Wu Guihua pursed her lips. With Yong-ge's appearance, who hadn't seen it before? He didn't look that good and acted like a precious treasure!
But indeed, several gers who were close to Feng-ge didn't come. Wu Guihua couldn't make any idle talk, so she reluctantly said, "If he doesn't come to help, then I won't bring food for him."
Li Wang threw down the water bucket on the shoulder pole. "Fine, I'm going back too!"
After saying that, he turned around to leave.
Wu Guihua panicked and quickly grabbed his sleeve. "You're his uncle. How can you leave at this time?"
Male relatives from the paternal and maternal side should be present to support the scene. If Li Da and Li Er were absent, it was understandable, but Li Wang, as their immediate uncle, couldn't leave!
When Wu Guihua saw that Li Wang ignored her, she could only compromise and said, "Okay, okay, can I prepare it for him?"
Li Wang snorted coldly, "If my sister-in-law doesn't want to cause trouble on her good day, it's better not to give me leftovers as if it's enough for me."
That was exactly Wu Guihua's plan. When she heard Li Wang's words, her body stiffened, and she gritted her teeth and thought to herself: Did this second son take the wrong medicine today? Why did he suddenly become so difficult to deal with!
Wu Guihua thought about that wealthy Young Master Yan and reluctantly put on a smiling face for Li Wang. "No, how could I? Yong-ge is also my nephew after all…"
Li Wang's heart turned cold. He thought his sister-in-law couldn't talk, but it turned out she knew how to say nice things, she was just a coward who feared evil!
When the appointed time came, the wealthy Young Master Yan and the matchmaker arrived as promised, bringing many gifts. When the villagers saw him wearing a jade crown and dressed in luxurious clothes, accompanied by a group of servants, they were all shocked.
After they passed by, the villagers started whispering to each other—
"Oh my, did you see those gifts? The boxes they were in are all lacquered wood!"
"This Feng-ge is really lucky. He even caught the eye of a wealthy merchant's son."
"I heard that when they went to deliver the meat to the twenty li slope, the young master was immediately smitten."
At a time like this, Feng-ge couldn't show himself, but he secretly hid by the window of the women's chamber, quietly opened the window lattice, and happened to see the well-mannered and tall young master leading the way in his splendid attire.
The young master also noticed him and lifted the corner of his eye, revealing a slight smile. Seeing the startled and shy little ger inside the house, he lowered his face giving him a meaningful smile.