Ch 181: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Shen Qing watched as Old Lady Wang walked away, a wave of emotions stirring in his heart. The son she had cared for the least now lived a life a thousand times better than hers and never looked back. Meanwhile, she could only continue struggling in the village—likely with even more turmoil at home now that Wang San was gone, as fights over who did more or less work must have escalated. In a way, this was a lesson for her as well.

He pulled Song Kaiji’s hand away and noticed a red mark near the base of his thumb. With a hint of irritation, he scolded, “You just had to make trouble—did you burn yourself?”

Originally, Shen Qing hadn’t planned on helping carry the pot of porridge, but Song Kaiji had insisted on coming along. However, he wasn’t skilled at the work and had ended up burning his hand. Worried he would burn himself again, Shen Qing had taken over the task.

Song Kaiji only grinned foolishly in response. Shen Qing blew gently on his injured hand, and seeing his expression, he didn’t have the heart to keep scolding him. Instead, they walked back to their room hand in hand to apply medicine.

As for Old Lady Wang, Wang San, and all those past events that weren’t so long ago, they seemed to dissipate like the steam rising from the hot porridge, fading into the cold winter air.

---

Early in the morning, Shen Qing descended the mountain to keep Lian Ou company in his room.

A few other gers, close friends of Lian Ou but not particularly familiar with Shen Qing, were also there. At first, they felt nervous in his presence—after all, Shen Qing had quite the reputation for being formidable, and his battle records spoke for themselves.

However, they were all of similar age, and since it was Lian Ou’s big day, Shen Qing intentionally kept the atmosphere light. Before long, everyone relaxed, and the group fell into cheerful chatter and laughter.

Today, Wu Guixiang had been chosen to act as the All-Blessings Madam—a role reserved for a woman whose parents were still alive, who had both sons and daughters, and a harmonious marriage. To Miao Hexiang, Wu Guixiang’s status as the true leader of the village made her even more enviable, so she insisted that Wu Guixiang be the one to perform the traditional face-cleansing and hair-combing ceremony for Lian Ou.

Wu Guixiang, flattered by the recognition, readily agreed. Now, she was rolling a boiled egg over Lian Ou’s face to cleanse it, followed by using two fine threads to pluck away the soft hairs on his skin.

The effect was immediate—his face appeared whiter and smoother, though mostly due to the absence of fine hair. However, redness quickly spread across Lian Ou’s freshly plucked skin.

The watching gers, including Shen Qing, sucked in their breaths in sympathy. “Ou Ge’er, does it hurt?”

Lian Ou thought for a moment before replying, “Not really, but occasionally, when a hair gets pulled too hard, it stings a bit. But it’s bearable.”

The other gers instinctively cupped their own faces, as if imagining the sensation.

Wu Guixiang glanced at Shen Qing’s face and smirked—his fine hairs were still intact. And yet, he claims to have been married already?

Amused, she teased, “Qing Ge’er, when you hold your wedding banquet in the village, why not have me do this for you, too? Let your mother invite me as the All-Blessings Madam, and I’ll pluck your face as well.”

What was there to be embarrassed about? Even if they held another ceremony, who in the village would dare say anything against it?

Shen Qing froze, his face turning pink despite not having been plucked. “I-I’ll go ask first.”

Just then, Lian Shi carried out several dowry chests and placed them in the courtyard for guests to see—those close to the family would also add gifts to the dowry.

Seeing this, the gers inside grew restless, and Shen Qing quickly took the opportunity to escape outside, eager to change the subject.

Though Miao Hexiang had claimed there wasn’t enough time to prepare a proper dowry, she had still managed to put together quite a bit. Large furniture items hadn’t been custom-made in time, but since Ming He had bought Shen Qing’s former small courtyard at the mountain’s foot, it already came with a heated brick bed, tables, chairs, and cabinets—all of which Shen Qing had left for them.

With just the two of them in the household, they wouldn’t need much more.

Miao Hexiang focused instead on the smaller essentials. She provided pots, bowls, chopsticks, ladles, and even a descendant basin and descendant bucket—symbols of fertility. She also prepared six thick and thin quilts, which was a substantial dowry for a farming family.

What stood out the most, however, were the two bolts of satin, shimmering brilliantly under the sunlight.

The guests and other gers watching couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“I wish my parents had given me such a generous dowry when I got married.”

“My parents would never buy me satin. My mother isn’t as doting as Second Aunt Lian.”

“Ungrateful brat! Did you even see how much betrothal silver his husband gave? No one in ten villages around here has ever seen a groom pay this much for a ger! If you can find a man who’ll offer that kind of betrothal gift, I’ll gladly give you this much dowry, too!”

“You know, for a former monk, he sure has a lot of money…”

Though there was a slight hint of jealousy in their voices, the general sentiment was one of goodwill and admiration.

The gers also presented their gifts—now that Shen Qing’s workshop had improved everyone’s livelihood, they could afford to give more. Some offered hair ribbons, others embroidered pouches, and one even presented a pair of hand-sewn shoe uppers.

Shen Qing observed everything but refrained from bringing out his own gift, feeling it didn’t quite match the handmade sentiment. Instead, he quietly returned to the room and slipped two heavy silver bracelets onto Lian Ou’s wrists.

Lian Ou gasped, “Qing Ge’er, this is too much!”

“Take them,” Shen Qing said firmly, stopping him from taking them off. “Back when I was giving birth, you and Second Aunt Lian stood guard at my door. No amount of silver bracelets could ever be enough to repay that kindness.”

Lian Ou touched the bracelets on his wrist, his eyes misting slightly as memories of that perilous time resurfaced.

“Don’t cry now,” Wu Guixiang quickly interjected. “You’re about to have your makeup done—if you ruin it with tears, you’ll regret it!”

She had been watching from the side, but she felt no jealousy at all.

Qing Ge’er had always been someone who repaid kindness with kindness, never one to shortchange those who had helped him.

“Wait until after you eat before putting on makeup!”

As she spoke, Lian Rong emerged from the kitchen carrying a bowl of steamed egg custard drizzled with fragrant sesame oil and topped with minced meat. “Second Brother, eat this before getting your makeup done, or it’ll smudge.”

Lian Ou had a long day ahead—wearing wedding attire, going through ceremonies, and barely having time to eat. Soup or watery dishes weren’t practical, so Lian Rong had woken up early to prepare a bowl of steamed egg custard with shrimp skin from the betrothal gifts, making it even more delicious.

Lian Ou lowered his head and ate, while Lian Rong took out a small, red satin pouch embroidered with gold thread—a wedding gift from her to her second brother. Inside, she had wrapped two pastries in oiled paper before tying it to Lian Ou’s waist. “If you get hungry later, eat this!”

Lian Ou smiled warmly and nodded. Dressed in a bright red wedding robe, though not made of satin, the finely trimmed floral edges made it look exceptionally elegant. The delicate pouch added an extra touch of charm.

After finishing the steamed egg, Wu Guixiang prepared to comb Lian Ou’s hair and apply makeup. At that moment, Miao Chunlei arrived, shaking her head at Wu Guixiang’s lack of finesse and stepping in to help style Lian Ou properly.

As she entered, she said, “Xiao Song and your mother-in-law have arrived. They’re sitting next door at the banquet.”

Shen Qing acknowledged her and stepped outside.

The Lian family hosted the midday banquet first. They had good standing in the village, and with Miao Hexiang being from Shiqu Village, many relatives from there had also come to celebrate. Their house wasn’t large enough to accommodate everyone, so they borrowed several neighboring homes to fit everyone.

Since it was midwinter, they couldn’t seat guests outside in the courtyard.

The event sprawled across ten tables, with Shen Qing’s family seated quite close, just next door.

If not for wanting to support Shen Qing and observe the wedding customs of this world, Zhang Sujuan wouldn’t have come down from the mountain. She felt uneasy in this unfamiliar environment. However, no one dared approach her—after all, she was the mother of a nobleman. If Zhang Sujuan was nervous, the villagers were even more so. They kept their distance, sneaking glances at her when they thought she wouldn’t notice.

Zhang Sujuan had dressed elegantly for the occasion, wearing two false hairpieces adorned with several hairpins. She sat there stiffly, staring at the empty table in front of her, her posture straight and reserved. Only when she saw Shen Qing enter did her expression soften into a smile.

“Qingqing!”

“Mother.”

Shen Qing walked over, briefly squeezing Song Kaiji’s hand before sitting beside Zhang Sujuan. Seeing her staring at the table, he asked, “Mother, are you hungry? The banquet will start soon.”

“…No,” Zhang Sujuan said quietly. “It’s just that people keep looking at me. I don’t know where to look, and I’m afraid I’ll accidentally make eye contact with someone. It’s awkward.”

Shen Qing couldn’t help but chuckle. He reassured her, “Everyone here is a close friend of the Lian family, and most of them have good relations with me as well. Let me introduce you.”

Scanning the room, his eyes landed on someone. “This is Aunt Yan. She was good friends with my mother. Back when I was struggling, she used to secretly give me food. Now, her son, Brother Tieshan, works as a constable at the magistrate’s office. He’s done quite well for himself.”

Aunt Yan laughed. “Not at all! It was only thanks to Qing Ge’er’s help that he landed that position.”

They exchanged a few words, but the conversation remained somewhat awkward, with both sides unsure of what to say. Finding an excuse, Aunt Yan slipped outside and immediately began whispering to others.

“Qing Ge’er’s mother-in-law is so dignified. You can tell at a glance she’s from a wealthy family. Even the way she speaks is different from us.”

“Exactly! When Qing Ge’er wanted to introduce me, I got so nervous. I didn’t know what to do with my hands and feet in front of such a noblewoman!”

“But she seems kind and treats Qing Ge’er well.”

“Of course, she’s nice to us—because of Qing Ge’er. If not for him, would a noble lady ever talk to villagers like us?”

The group muttered amongst themselves, but Zhang Sujuan’s goal had been achieved—everyone in the village now understood that Qing Ge’er’s mother-in-law was a refined and affluent woman, but more importantly, she cherished Qing Ge’er deeply. She was even willing to engage with common villagers for his sake!

Dishes began arriving one after another when the main branch of the Lian family finally showed up.

As the closest relatives, they should have arrived early to help, but after the bitter family split, relations had grown cold. If not for the fact that it would have been disgraceful for immediate family to skip the wedding, Miao Hexiang wouldn’t have invited them at all.

Even so, showing up right when the banquet was starting was inappropriate.

The moment Wang shi arrived, she wandered straight to the courtyard to inspect the dowry.

Lian Rong kept a sharp eye on her, worried she might pocket something—after all, Wang shi wasn’t above such behavior.

However, with so many guests watching today, Wang shi restrained herself. Instead, she merely observed and scoffed, “A ger getting married with such a lavish dowry—more than what some people give their own sons.”

She was referring to Lian Laoda, but no one paid her any attention.

Wang shi fumed silently. At first, she had been gleeful, thinking Lian Ou was being hastily married off to a monk. But who would have thought that the monk was not only rich but also valued Lian Ou immensely?

At first, there had been gossip in the village, but the moment the betrothal gifts arrived, all that remained was admiration and envy.

Seeing that no one was engaging with her, Wang shi sulked back to her seat.

The banquet tables were adorned with two cold appetizers—salted duck eggs and preserved century eggs on one plate, and a mix of gluten, dried tofu, shredded chicken, and meat aspic on another.

Next came two vegetarian dishes that were, in fact, flavored with meat: braised tofu with scallions and pork slices, and stir-fried vermicelli with celery and dried shrimp. The dried seafood had come from the betrothal gifts—just a small amount, but enough to show how generous the groom was. What other ger’s betrothal gifts included such rare items? Most families simply bought some pastries from town!

The main courses were four extravagant dishes.

A whole braised pork shank in rock sugar glaze.

Stewed pork trotters with “Immortal Chicken.”

A large red-braised carp.

A massive pot of sauerkraut and pork ribs with blood sausage.

Just these four dishes alone had the villagers praising the Lian family’s wealth. Even after splitting from the main branch, they were thriving!

Listening to all the compliments, Wang shi felt even worse.

Lian Laoda gave her a nudge. “Just behave yourself, will you? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”

Wang shi sulked. She knew that if she wanted an easier life, she had to lower her pride and curry favor with Miao Hexiang and Shen Qing. But how could she stomach it?

She should have been better than Miao Hexiang in every way…

And it was all because of Shen Qing. His constant favoritism toward the second branch had allowed them to surpass her!

Wang shi’s eyes darted around until they landed on Shen Qing, sitting at another table with his strikingly handsome husband and his elegant mother-in-law.

The villagers were happily eating, singing Lian family’s praises, as if the main branch had ceased to exist.

Then someone joked, “Eat as much as you can now! Tonight, the groom might only serve vegetarian dishes!”

More laughter erupted.

“He’s already renounced monkhood and taken a fulang—of course he eats meat!”

As the meal wound down, the groom arrived to escort the bride.

A group of gers gathered around the beautifully adorned Lian Ou, who, with his makeup on, looked indistinguishable from a stunning young woman.

Seeing him, Ming He could only giggle sheepishly, his face flushed bright red.

Amidst the lively chaos, Lian Ou was finally lifted into the sedan chair, and before long, they arrived at his new home.

Initially, they had assumed that since the groom was an orphan with no family to help manage the wedding, the gathering would be small. However, the number of guests was just as large as at the Lian household. The neighboring workshop had even lent space for additional seating. Many young monks from the temple had snuck out, and most of the attendees were merchants from Miaoqian Village—people who had good relations with Ming He and knew Lian Ou. They had all come to celebrate and even helped with the wedding arrangements.

A group of gers accompanied Lian Ou to his new home, but Miao Hexiang and her husband could not follow. They simply stood at their doorway, watching from afar.

Shen Qing also put down his chopsticks. “I’ll go with them. Once you’ve finished eating, you and mother can head back first.”

Song Kaiji nodded. Their family was close to the Lians, but they didn’t know Ming He well. It made sense for Shen Qing to accompany Lian Ou, but bringing their whole family to the groom’s feast would be inconvenient. Miao Chunlei also stayed behind.

Song Kaiji planned to escort their mothers home after the meal, then return later to pick up Shen Qing.

However, after the banquet, Miao Hexiang couldn’t shake her unease—her son had just gotten married, and she already missed him. She pulled Miao Chunlei aside and chatted for a long while.

By the time they finally left the Lian house, quite some time had passed.

Just as they stepped outside, a young ger came stumbling toward them, shivering as if heading toward his doom. With his eyes squeezed shut, he ran straight at Song Kaiji.

Song Kaiji: “……”

Did this person think he was blind?

Song Kaiji merely shifted slightly to the side, and since the ger had been running blindly, he missed his target entirely and ran right past him.

Song Kaiji: “……”

Miao Chunlei: “……”

Zhang Sujuan: “……”

Wang shi, unable to contain herself any longer, rushed over and grabbed the young ger, pointing at Song Kaiji with trembling hands. “Someone help! In broad daylight, he’s taking advantage of an innocent ger!”

Miao Chunlei felt an instant rush of fury. “Wang Shi, are you insane? Open your damn eyes and see—did my son-in-law even touch him?”

If she had a knife in her hand right now, she would’ve slashed Wang shi on the spot!

Miao Hexiang also stormed out of the house. She had already been in a bad mood, and now Wang shi was asking for trouble.

But Wang shi wasn’t willing to give up so easily. Song Kaiji rarely came to the village alone without Shen Qing by his side. She had made up her mind, and she wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away.

She forcefully shook Lian Ye several times, making him lift his head.

Wasn’t this nobleman rumored to have a peculiar taste, preferring ugly gers? Well, her Lian Ye wasn’t exactly good-looking either!

To her surprise, Song Kaiji actually paused when he saw Lian Ye’s face, deep in thought.

Meanwhile, the Miao sisters were furiously cursing at Wang shi, ready to tear her apart.

But before the fight could escalate further, Song Kaiji suddenly said, “I know what you’re trying to do.” His tone was calm and indifferent. “Just so we’re clear—he never touched me, and there were plenty of witnesses.”

“Let’s make a deal,” he continued casually. “Ten taels of silver, and I’ll buy this ger from you. Then we can drop the matter.”

Wang shi had been acting out of desperation, but hearing that Song Kaiji was actually willing to buy Lian Ye, she was ecstatic.

She knew it! This nobleman really liked ugly gers!

She automatically assumed that Song Kaiji wanted Lian Ye for that kind of purpose.

Miao Chunlei hesitated, her anger momentarily halted by confusion. She turned to look at Song Kaiji, her emotions battling within her. In the end, she remained silent.

Miao Hexiang, however, did not. She immediately lunged at Wang shi and slapped her twice across the face. “Do you have any shame?! Throwing your own ger at someone to be a concubine?!”

Wang shi had originally planned to negotiate the price, but after getting slapped, her temper flared, overpowering her reason. “And what if I am? The nobleman likes our Lian Ye—what’s it to you? You’re just jealous!”

Miao Hexiang shot a murderous glare at Song Kaiji but didn’t dare raise a hand against him.

Wang shi smirked in triumph. Song Kaiji raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. Instead, he scanned the crowd and spotted Zhao Youdang. “Village Chief, would you mind drafting a contract?”

Wang shi suddenly felt that something was off. She hesitated and mumbled, “Shouldn’t there be a formal ceremony? At least a sedan chair to pick him up…”

She was already picturing a future where Lian Ye became favored, and their family would rise in status, surpassing even the second branch of the Lian family.

Song Kaiji, now visibly impatient, simply said, “Then forget it.”

“Sell! Sell! We’ll sell him to you right now!” Wang shi panicked. An opportunity like this wouldn’t come twice!

Song Kaiji glanced at Lian Laoda, who had remained silent throughout the ordeal. “You have no objections?”

After a long pause, Lian Laoda finally nodded.

Miao Hexiang launched into another furious tirade, this time directed at Lian Laoda. They truly were a perfect match—both utterly shameless!

Song Kaiji leaned toward Zhao Youdang and whispered a few words. Zhao Youdang nodded and fetched a brush and paper, quickly drafting the contract.

Neither Lian Laoda nor Wang shi could read, but since it was written by the village chief, they didn’t question it. Happily, they both pressed their thumbprints on the paper. Lian Ye was also forced to sign.

Song Kaiji retrieved ten taels of silver from his sleeve and tossed it to Wang shi before dusting off the contract. “From now on, this ger has nothing to do with the Lian family.”

Wang shi wasn’t entirely satisfied with that wording—how could he have nothing to do with them? His maiden family would always be the Lians! If he gained favor with the nobleman, he would naturally have to take care of his parents and siblings.

But before she could argue, Lian Laoda subtly tugged at her sleeve.

No point in upsetting the nobleman now.

Once Lian Ye gained favor and secured the nobleman’s heart, then they would reap the benefits.

At that time, Shen Qing, that ugly ger, and Miao Hexiang, that wretched woman, would get what was coming to them!

Meanwhile…

By the time Shen Qing emerged from the small courtyard—now the Ming family residence—he was met with an unexpected sight.

Song Kaiji was waiting outside, standing beside a shivering Lian Ye.

Shen Qing: ?

Frowning, he turned to Song Kaiji. “What’s this?”

Song Kaiji beamed and ran up to him like an eager puppy. “Qingqing! You told Lian Ou last time that he was pitiful because he couldn’t escape his parents’ control, right? Well, I bought him!”

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