Chapter 7: The Ugly Ger’s Farming Story

Xu Qing watched as Xie Ama left, his cheeks still blushing. “I actually agreed! But,” he thought for a moment, “instead of waiting for two months to marry a stranger, I’d better take this time to find someone myself!”

By now, the sky had brightened. After freshening up, Xu Qing had the remaining rabbit from last night’s dinner with the cornbread that Xie Ama brought for breakfast. After this meal, Xu Qing firmly decided that unless absolutely necessary, he would never torture his stomach with cornbread again. Corn was one thing, but making a southerner eat cornbread every day was just asking for trouble!

He planted the small Sichuan peppercorn tree from his dimensional space in the vegetable garden in the yard. He also took a look at the freshly dug wild ginseng from yesterday. It looked fresh. He planned to sell it at the next market to help with the “bride” situation!

The piglet in the pigsty was already protesting with its “oinks.” He had to go and prepare some pig feed while the sun hadn’t fully risen.

When Xie Ama returned home, Uncle Xie was sitting in the yard, smoking his pipe.

Xie Ama looked surprised seeing Uncle Xie there with the basket. “You’re back? Hey, did you bring him back?”

“Yes, take it. You clean him up today, and I’ll cook!” Xie Ama handed the basket to the head of the household, smiling happily.

“Does that mean everything is settled now?”

“More than just nothing! Let me tell you, Butcher Liu’s family is coming over this noon. When you’re done eating, go out for a stroll on your own. Just make sure you don’t eavesdrop on our conversation!” This old man always likes to secretly hide in the corner and listen in on his own and others’ chatter.

“Why are you so worked up? Alright, alright, I’ll go and slaughter the rabbit for you! Let’s have some meat today!” Uncle Xie is also craving game meat for a long time!

“Look at what you’re saying. The meat we bought yesterday wasn’t meaty, huh!”

Carrying a basket full of pig grass on his back, Xu Qing walks along the small path surrounded by greenery. The warm sunlight filters through the trees and leaves, casting long and mottled shadows, both warm and refreshing.

Of course, it would be even better if there weren’t people constantly pointing fingers at him on this road!

“Can’t believe after all these years he’s still so ugly. I made a bet with Liu San’er from the neighboring village. I thought he would have become handsome!” The man in a beige short shirt speaks with indignation to the slightly chubby man beside him.

“Do you think everyone is like your wife? Getting more beautiful with each passing year!” The slightly chubby man pouts. After all, he’s still single!

“Hahaha, why don’t you talk to your parents and propose to the ugly ger! Even if he’s ugly, it won’t matter once the lights are off!” The beige man intentionally teases the slightly chubby man, feeling delighted at the thought of his own beautiful wife. He doesn’t care if Xu Qing, not far away, overhears or not.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Go away, go away! Let’s go quickly. I want to try my luck in the mountains. Although I’ve been doing odd jobs in the military camp for the past five years, who knows, maybe I’ll catch something good and immediately go propose in the neighboring village!”

“Hahaha, just kidding, just kidding! Let’s go!”

Listening to the fading footsteps of those men, Xu Qing let out a long sigh. It’s best not to argue with people like them, or else they’ll keep on pestering you! It seems they’re also recently discharged soldiers.

“So what if I’m ugly! I won’t marry you either!!”

Determined to marry a “good man,” Xu Qing quickly walks back home. After chopping the pig grass for the piglet, Xu Qing prepares to clean up the house. He separates and neatly folds all the patched clothes from the unpatched ones. He also gathers the old cotton and unnecessary bed sheets and blankets, organizing them and placing them in the room where Xu parents used to live.

“It looks like I’ll have to buy more cotton and bed sheets!” Xu Qing looks at the tidied room. Apart from a large bed, there’s a big cabinet made by father Xu. The patched clothes are piled up to the top, and there’s only that one unpatched green garment beside them. Well, they’re really poor!

***

“Knock, knock, knock, knock!”

“Oh, it must be the people from Liu’s family! I’ll go open the door, you bring the food to the table!” Xie Ama wipes his wet hands with a cloth, instructs Uncle Xie, and rushes to open the courtyard gate.

“Come in quickly, I knew you would come at noon. Hurry up, the food is ready.” Xie Ama and Liu Ama grew up together and are very familiar with each other, not paying much attention to formalities.

Liu Ama hands the basket in his hand to Xie Ama. “This is homemade sweet potato powder. You said you ran out last time, so take it.”

“Alright, by the way, how is that matter going?”

Compared to the food, he was actually more concerned about Brother Qing’s matters. Last time, there wasn’t enough time to discuss Brother Qing’s marriage and his requirements. This time, he wanted to get some information first and, if necessary, look for more.

“You don’t trust me to handle things?! Ah, what is this smell? It smells so good!”

Just as they entered the courtyard, Liu Ama caught a whiff of a pleasant aroma. “Alright, let’s eat first, and we can have a good chat after the meal!”

After finishing the meal, Xie Ama asked Uncle Xie to clean up the table and pulled Liu Ama into the room, closing the door behind them.

“Tell me quickly, did you find any prospective candidates?”

Liu Ama rubbed his slightly swollen belly. “I’ve really been observing these days and visited many families. In the end, I think I found a suitable candidate, Li Changfeng from the Li family at the head of the village!”

When he mentioned the head of the village, he was referring to the head of the Jixiang Village. “Is it the second son from the Li family?” He remembered this person. He was an honest and down-to-earth young man, and his family had many brothers, making it easier for them to accept a marriage proposal. However, “Isn’t he already engaged to Wang’s ger son?”

As soon as Liu Ama heard this, he slapped his thigh. “Exactly! But five years ago, when they were recruiting soldiers, Li Laosan from their family had to take the imperial examination, so he made Li Changfeng replace him without telling him until after the name was reported!”

“This is news to me!” He had never heard of it before.

“That’s right, what’s even more absurd is that the second year Li Changfeng left, Li Laosan married Wang’s son! The Wangs said the five-year wait was too long for their son, so they either had to break off the engagement or find a new groom. Damn it, it was all because they coveted Li Laosan’s prospects as a scholar!”

Xie Ama was taken aback. He had heard about Wang’s son marrying into the Li family, but he didn’t know they had changed grooms.

“Don’t underestimate Li Changfeng just because he’s a bit older. I just feel that he’s not as shallow as other men! He’s a capable man, and now he’s feeling uncomfortable at home too. His prospective wife suddenly becomes his younger brother-in-law! Anyone would find that hard to bear!”

Seeing Xie Ama nodding, Liu Ama added fuel to the fire. “Moreover, there are rumors among the villagers that the third son of the Li family is demanding a split! Tsk tsk, it’s clear he wants to separate Li Changfeng from the family!”

“A split!”

Xie Ama’s eyes lit up. This was indeed a good candidate for marriage!

“Ahem, let me tell you, when you go back, privately ask your husband to invite Li Changfeng to your house for a meal. You can gather some information then. I’m telling you, Brother Qing doesn’t have any other requirements, he just wants to get someone marry into Xu family.”

Liu Ama widened his eyes in surprise. “Marriage! Hey, this is definitely a heaven-sent opportunity! Okay, I’ll talk to him, and at the latest, I’ll have someone send you a message tomorrow!”

***

Li Changfeng was carrying a large bundle of firewood back home. He was a tall man, probably around 1.85 meters, with a chiseled jawline and arched eyebrows! His skin was a bit dark, and when he pressed his lips together without speaking, he had a very serious expression.

Just as he arrived at the door of his house, he heard his younger brother shouting at their family.

“We must split! He took my place in military service, and I owe him for that! I remember, I will repay him! But this family must be divided!”

Father Li took a drag of his dry tobacco pipe, sitting silently in the courtyard. The eldest son and his wife also remained silent in the background.

“Father! Can’t you say something?!”

Li Laosan (Third Brother Li) had expressed his desire to split the family multiple times but hadn’t obtained their father’s approval, leaving him dissatisfied.

“If we split the family, where will Second Brother live?” Mother Li, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up.

“I can give up my share of the money and build a house for Second Brother!”

Li Changfeng’s heart clenched when he heard this. This was his younger brother, the one he had raised since childhood!

No one spoke in the courtyard, and Li Changfeng didn’t go inside either. He gently placed the firewood outside the courtyard’s woodshed, dusted off the accumulated ash from his body, took another look at the courtyard, turned around, and walked away. But he hadn’t gone far when he saw Butcher Liu standing at the intersection, grinning.

“Uncle Liu.”

“Changfeng, come on, let’s go to Uncle Liu’s place for a drink. I came specifically to drink with you!”

Li Changfeng thought about what had happened in the courtyard and nodded. He followed Butcher Liu, knowing that he could only face his closest family members awkwardly upon returning.

Butcher Liu’s house was a few minutes away from Li’s courtyard. They arrived shortly.

“Changfeng is here? Come in quickly, Liu Ama has prepared the appetizers for the drink!” Liu Ama warmly greeted Li Changfeng, which left him somewhat puzzled. He felt that Liu Ama’s enthusiasm was a bit excessive.

“Come, have a seat.”

After Butcher Liu saw his wife secretly give him a signal and leave, he started chatting with Li Changfeng.

“Li Laosan is causing trouble again?” Butcher Liu asked while stuffing a roasted peanut into his mouth.

Li Changfeng took a sip from the bowl filled with alcohol and silently nodded. He was familiar with Butcher Liu’s family as they lived close by.

“What are you planning to do?”

Li Changfeng drank another sip without even furrowing his brows. “Let’s split, it’ll bring some peace and quiet!”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Thinking of the task given by his wife, Butcher Liu pondered for a moment before asking, “Do you still have any thoughts about that Wang’s ger? I know it’s not pleasant to hear, but it’s necessary to know whether you have feelings for him. Even if he’s brought into the family, it won’t be easy if your heart is elsewhere.”

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