Chapter 42: A Blind Date
After seeing off Li Shikuan and his son Li Wenliang, Li Yuzhu closed the courtyard gate and turned around, smiling at Li Yin Zhu, “Our Yin Zhu is truly blessed.”
Li Jin Zhu stood beside Li Yuzhu, looking at Li Yin Zhu. She had just started to smile when, thinking of something, tears welled up.
Li Yin Zhu had a dazed, confused, and silly smile on her face.
“Eldest Sister, tomorrow is the matchmaking meeting. We need to observe carefully. We need to see if Hong Zhenye is genuinely willing or if he’s being forced. We need to see if he has any resentment, and how deep it is,” Li Xiaonan said seriously, linking arms with Li Jin Zhu.
“Brother Hong is a good person,” Li Xuedong chimed in, poking his head out.
“It’s not about him being a bad person,” Li Xiaonan shot Li Xuedong a look. “If he’s unwilling and full of resentment, Third Sister’s life will surely be difficult after marrying him.”
“A Nan is right,” Li Jin Zhu said, looking at Li Yuzhu. “Tomorrow, you and A Nan should observe that second young master carefully. You must see clearly.”
The matchmaking meeting the next day was arranged by Li Wenliang.
Li Wenliang scouted several locations and chose a small courtyard in the back garden of the Hong family for the meeting. It was very quiet, accessed directly through a corner gate in a corner of the Hong family’s garden.
Li Shikuan and Li Xuedong had arrived about fifteen to twenty minutes earlier. Li Jin Zhu and her three sisters followed Li Wenliang. When they entered the small courtyard, Hong Zhenye and Li Xuedong stood side by side, both stiff and incredibly rigid.
From the moment they entered the small courtyard, Li Yin Zhu became nervous, clutching Second Sister Li Yuzhu’s arm tightly, wishing she could merge into one with her.
Li Xiaonan, linking arms with Eldest Sister, entered the courtyard gate. As usual, she hid half of her body behind Eldest Sister, revealing half her face. She first surveyed Master Hong, then looked at Hong Zhenye.
“If you’re willing, then you’re willing. If you’re not, and you can’t say it, just tell me, and I’ll say it was our Third Sister who didn’t fancy you,” Li Xuedong whispered into his ear again.
“I know, I know! You’ve said it five times already!” Hong Zhenye subconsciously glanced at his Weng Weng.
For the past two days, his Weng Weng had been lecturing him, from ancient times to him having sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, and great-great-grandsons in the future…
He had lectured until his Weng Weng’s tongue was calloused and his own ears were calloused, all to make him willingly fancy Li Yin Zhu.
It wasn’t that he disliked the Li family’s poverty, nor that he found Li Yin Zhu ugly. She wasn’t ugly at all, but she was illiterate!
Weng Weng had always told him that when marrying a wife, one must marry someone learned, preferably more learned than himself, so she could teach their children and grandchildren, but now, Weng Weng had chosen an illiterate woman for him!
He asked Weng Weng, “Didn’t you say I must marry someone learned?”
Weng Weng said, “This learning is all-encompassing. Third Sister of the Li family is skilled at farming; this is also learning. Not panicking when facing problems, this also counts as learning…”
Alas, when it came to reasoning, Weng Weng was indeed Weng Weng!
“The weather has been good this year, and the potted chrysanthemums in our garden have bloomed exceptionally well,” Old Master Hong said with a smile to Li Shikuan, then turned and instructed Hong Zhenye, “A Ye, accompany Scholar Li and your sisters to tour the garden.”
“Yes,” Hong Zhenye replied with impeccable etiquette, bowing slightly.
Li Xiaonan let go of Li Jin Zhu, took two steps forward, and linked arms with Li Yin Zhu.
Old Master Hong, Li Shikuan, Li Wenliang, and Li Jin Zhu sat in the Xuan Hall, chatting about the intricacies of doing business. Hong Zhenye clung tightly to Li Xuedong, Li Yin Zhu held onto Li Yuzhu tightly, and Li Xiaonan tugged at Li Yin Zhu. The five of them formed two groups and walked around the garden for a long time.
The five siblings returned home. As soon as they entered the courtyard gate, Li Xuedong immediately poked his head in front of Li Yin Zhu and asked eagerly, “How was it?”
Li Jin Zhu looked at Li Yuzhu, Li Yuzhu looked at Li Yin Zhu, and Li Yin Zhu pointed at Li Xiaonan, “A Nan said she would check for me!”
From Li Jin Zhu to Li Xuedong, four people, eight eyes, all looked at Li Xiaonan.
“Did you talk to Hong Er?” Li Xiaonan asked, looking at Li Xuedong.
“Talk about what?” Li Yuzhu asked.
“I did, I did! I talked about it five or six times,” Li Xuedong answered Li Xiaonan first, then looked at Second Sister. “A Nan asked me to tell Brother Hong: if he’s unwilling, just tell me quietly, and we’ll say Third Sister didn’t fancy him.”
“Then did he tell you?” Li Yuzhu blurted out.
“No, no!” Li Xuedong quickly waved his hands.
“Why did you let your brother say that to him?” Li Jin Zhu asked, looking at Li Xiaonan.
“The one who wants to marry us is definitely Hong Er’s Weng Weng. I don’t know what his intentions are,” Li Xiaonan pouted.
“How do you know that?” Li Yuzhu asked in surprise.
“It’s obvious! If Hong Er had fancied Third Sister himself, Third Sister would definitely know. Third Sister isn’t stupid, right, Third Sister? I asked Third Sister, and Third Sister said Hong Er never even looked at her properly.”
Li Yin Zhu nodded continuously.
“Then what about this marriage?” Li Jin Zhu knitted her brows.
“I think it’s alright. I think Hong Er might not have fancied her, but it’s definitely not that he dislikes her,” Li Xiaonan said with a look of certainty.
“So, does he fancy her or not?” Li Xuedong asked, confused.
“Don’t interrupt, let A Nan continue,” Li Jin Zhu said, lightly patting Li Xuedong.
“The Xiucai scholar in the Hong family is over fifty this year and has long lost his student status. Brother’s Xiucai status is only seventeen, brand new!
“The Xiucai scholar in the Hong family is Hong Er’s Tang Weng Weng, almost beyond five generations of kinship. Our family’s Xiucai is Third Sister’s full brother!
“In terms of Xiucai, our family is stronger than theirs!” Li Xiaonan said with her chin raised, looking proud.
Li Jin Zhu, Li Yuzhu, and Li Yin Zhu all looked askance at the proud Li Xiaonan in the same posture.
Li Xuedong hunched his shoulders, looking distressed.
His Xiucai status wasn’t a real Xiucai status!
“The Hong family only has more copper coins than our family, but we’ve already started doing business. I think in a few more years, our family will definitely be richer than the Hong family!
“This marriage isn’t a high-class match. If Third Sister thinks Hong Er is acceptable, then we’ll agree!” Li Xiaonan said, reaching out to pat her Third Sister.
“You little rascal!” Li Yuzhu flicked Li Xiaonan on the head.
“Then what do you think?” Li Jin Zhu asked, looking at Li Yin Zhu.
“I think it’s very good. I really want to marry over,” Li Yin Zhu answered honestly.
“Then it’s settled. Xuedong, go tell Tang Weng Weng: we’ve discussed it and think it’s very good, and we can get married,” Li Jin Zhu said, looking at Li Xuedong.
