Chapter 357 Zhao Cheng Leng Family Son-in-Law

The busiest street in Huzhou City.

A small embroidered building stands by the street, with carved beams and painted rafters. Layers of gauze curtains hang in the windows on the second floor, and when the wind blows, the figure of a young girl is vaguely visible.

The eldest daughter of the Leng family stood by the window, dressed in a red embroidered dress, her face covered with a loose gauze, revealing only her captivating eyes.

“She’s not ugly at all,” Lu Yingxue said. “How come no man wants to marry such a beautiful girl?”

A woman standing nearby said, "After Miss Leng turned fourteen, suitors practically wore down the threshold of the Leng family. But Master Leng was dissatisfied with this and that. I don't know why he finally decided on this method. If the embroidered ball is snatched away by a beggar, things will get interesting."

Cheng Wanwan glanced around casually, and sure enough, there were quite a few beggars among the crowd. These beggars were quite strategic, standing apart and exchanging gestures and glances, looking like they were determined to snatch the embroidered ball.

She silently lit a candle in her heart for the eldest daughter of the Leng family.

Shen Zheng, fanning himself with a paper fan, nudged Cheng Zhao's shoulder: "I thought you went back to the inn. Why are you also interested in throwing embroidered balls? You wouldn't happen to be thinking about getting married, would you?"

Cheng Zhao's face darkened: "There are too many people on the street, it's inconvenient to go back to the inn."

"Alright, stop pretending to be a gentleman in front of me," Shen Zheng said with a grin. "You're nineteen this year, with no maids or concubines, and probably no experience with men and women. It's normal for you to be thinking about women..."

Cheng Zhao's face was as black as the bottom of a pot: "Shut up, don't talk nonsense."

Qian Hui rolled up his sleeves and spat twice on his hands: "The Leng family is incredibly powerful in Huzhou, one of the top merchants, even richer than our Qian family. If I marry the eldest daughter of the Leng family, my grandfather will definitely look at me with new respect."

As soon as he said that, several beggars around him immediately surrounded him, staring at him warily.

Shen Zheng burst into laughter.

At this moment, the gauze curtain on the second floor was pulled open, and a middle-aged man walked out. He was dressed in fine silk and satin, wearing a hat, and looked very imposing. Standing on the second floor, he said loudly, "Thank you all for coming to support my Leng family. The eldest daughter of the Leng family is sixteen years old and of marriageable age. Today, she will throw an embroidered ball to choose a husband. Any unmarried man under the age of thirty and over the age of fifteen, who is not a criminal, may participate."

The crowd below erupted in cheers.

The eldest daughter of the Leng family walked out, holding a large red embroidered ball in her hand. She had a slender figure and eyes as clear as spring water, which made the men start to cheer, with laughter and whistles ringing out.

Cheng Wanwan was standing close to the embroidery tower, and she saw the tears in the eyes of the eldest daughter of the Leng family. The tears made her eyes look even more pitiful and moving.

It's obvious from this that the eldest daughter of the Leng family was forced by her family to throw the embroidered ball.

"The auspicious time has arrived—"

With a long shout, all the eligible men were ready to go, their eyes fixed on the embroidered ball.

The eldest daughter of the Leng family turned around and casually tossed the embroidered ball down.

"be mine!"

"The hydrangea is mine!"

"I am the destined son-in-law of the Leng family!"

The men were fighting amongst themselves, and Cheng Wanwan quickly pulled Lu Yingxue to hide under the eaves of the embroidered building. The scene was quite frightening.

Countless hands rose up, the embroidered ball was repeatedly caught, bounced up, flew away, opened again, and flew up again...

The group of beggars were working together, guiding the embroidered ball towards the southeast corner. In the southeast corner sat a composed old beggar, who looked to be close to thirty years old, with a determined glint in his eyes.

"Shen Zheng, you fucking help me!" Qian Hui said frantically. "If I become the Leng family's son-in-law, can I call you 'Big Brother'?"

Shen Zheng tucked the paper fan into his waistband and said reluctantly, "Alright, a lackey delivered to our door, might as well take it. Afu, you go over there, I'll block this side... Brother Cheng, sigh, forget it, you're a weak scholar, you should stand to the side, lest you get bumped into."

When Cheng Zhao saw Yu Zhan being squeezed in the crowd, he immediately stepped forward and grabbed Yu Zhan's wrist: "Come on, I'll take you to your teacher's wife."

The place got out of control as soon as the two left.

A dozen or so beggars rushed over, but the embroidered ball suddenly flew up and headed towards the southeast corner.

Qian Hui cried out in alarm, "Shen Zheng, stop it! We can't let the embroidered ball go that way!"

That's a beggar's den; if the embroidered ball flies over there, it will become the beggar's possession.

Shen Zheng knew this too. He mustered all his strength, spun around, jumped, and slapped the embroidered ball.

Snap!

The embroidered ball bounced away and flew swiftly in the direction of Cheng Zhao and Yu Zhan.

Lu Yingxue's eyes widened in fright: "Xiao Zhan, be careful, don't get hit by the embroidered ball."

The embroidered ball is made of bamboo, so getting hit won't cause any serious harm. However, it will attract countless men who dream of instant success. She fears that her precious son will be trampled to death by being surrounded by dozens of men.

The embroidered ball came with a whoosh of wind. Cheng Zhao shielded Yu Zhan behind him with one hand and swatted at the ball with the other.

However! His finger accidentally got stuck in the gap between the bamboo strips of the embroidered ball, and his index finger got stuck, preventing him from opening it.

The embroidered ball, instead, fell into his arms.

In that instant, everything around them fell silent.

"One, two, three!" A woman dressed in festive attire called out from the embroidered tower, "Quickly, someone, go and invite the Leng family's son-in-law up here."

Cheng Zhao: "???"

Shen Zheng: "!!!"

Qian Hui's eyes widened: "Brother Cheng, you're not being fair, you actually stole it."

Cheng Zhao felt like he was holding a hot potato, so he quickly threw it into Qian Hui's arms: "Here you go, here you go."

He turned and ran.

Behind him, however, servants from the Leng family blocked his way: "Young master, our master and young lady invite you upstairs."

Cheng Zhao pointed at Qian Hui and said, "It was that young master who caught the embroidered ball..."

"Oh dear, young master, you seem a little embarrassed." A woman dressed festively like a matchmaker grabbed Cheng Zhao's sleeve. "Master Leng is very kind, Madam Leng is easy to get along with, and Miss Leng is even more beautiful, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Many people would kill for her. Come on, let's go upstairs and meet your future father-in-law, mother-in-law, and wife."

Cheng Zhao was forcibly restrained and pulled towards the embroidered tower.

"Wait a minute."

Cheng Wanwan pushed through the surging crowd and finally made it through.

She was just there to watch the fun, but unexpectedly, she ended up losing her nephew.

Her nephew is so outstanding, how could he inexplicably marry a wife he's never even met, whose appearance and character he doesn't know?

“I am his aunt,” Cheng Wanwan introduced herself. “The marriage of a junior should be discussed by the elders. I will go up with them.”

The matchmaker was overjoyed: "That's wonderful! We can set the wedding date today."

Cheng Wanwan pulled Cheng Zhao down two steps and asked softly, "Do you want to become the Leng family's son-in-law, or..."

Cheng Zhao was on the verge of tears: "Second Aunt, I absolutely didn't mean that. I just want to do well on my exams..."

"That's fine then." Cheng Wanwan nodded. "Don't say anything later, just leave everything to me."

Cheng Zhao looked slightly guilty: "Second Aunt, it's all my fault. I caused trouble while I was out..."

"What does this have to do with you? According to you, it's my fault. If I hadn't insisted on bringing you out, we wouldn't have run into this." Cheng Wanwan smiled. "If that's really what you think, then to avoid trouble, you should just stay home every day from now on?"

Cheng Zhao understood, pursed her lips, and said nothing more.

The aunt and niece followed the Leng family up to the second floor of the embroidered building. The second floor was very spacious. In the main seat of the hall sat two people, who were clearly Master Leng and Madam Leng. Standing next to them was a pretty figure, who was the eldest daughter of the Leng family.

As soon as Cheng Zhao arrived, all three members of the Leng family turned their attention to him.