Chapter 90 Yu Cai's Mate Selection Criteria: Ye Li Has a Suitable Candidate

“Brother Cai, I think Uncle Wu’s idea is great.”

Ye Li suppressed her surprise and said seriously.

There are no games, movies, online novels, short videos, or other forms of entertainment here. In his previous life, he felt that 24 hours a day was simply not enough to have fun, and it was normal for him to stay in his dormitory for several days during holidays.

But now, whenever Jiang Ji isn't home, he feels that twelve hours in a day are damn long.

He was so bored at home that he preferred to brave the cold wind every day to go see Jiang Ji.

He's practically growing moss from boredom, let alone Yu Cai, who's never had to worry about food or drink since childhood.

Moreover, Yu Cai has been cooped up at home for twenty years!

It's time to get out of the house and experience some enjoyable things.

As for whether they will repeat the mistakes of Wu Fulang, that depends on the Wu family's judgment in choosing their successors.

Yu Cai was somewhat surprised by Ye Li's words: "You think my father's idea is good?"

"Yes. Staying at home all the time is boring. I go to the county town every day just to have a meal with Jiang Ji."

Seeing Yu Cai's eyes widen suddenly, Ye Li explained with a smile, "The village is deserted, and it's hard to pass the time. Jiang Ji is my greatest source of amusement."

Yu Cai: "..."

This explanation was both novel and made him somewhat restless.

He braced himself on his left leg and shifted his body slightly.

That's right, he really had nothing to do while staying at home.

He used to have playmates.

We can go out shopping together or visit each other at our homes.

But starting ten years ago, his playmates began to get married one after another, so he went out less and less and spent more and more time at home.

He read countless books.

She also embroidered many items, both large and small.

They also tried growing flowers, vegetables, and cooking.

Young men in their boudoirs can't do much besides these things.

Until early summer this year, his father suddenly said that since the beginning of the year, throughout the entire spring, he had only gone out a handful of times.

This is truly terrifying.

He's not at the age where he can retire peacefully.

His father said that he couldn't let him wither away quietly like this.

So they encouraged him to open a shop.

Now, he has truly opened a semi-retired residence, spending a lot of his time each day on accounting and handling various miscellaneous matters.

He suddenly felt much more fulfilled.

His older brother thought he was doing just fine.

They can stand on their own and have their own careers.

But his father felt that this was not enough.

One cannot live in this world by being just a boss or a manager.

He deserves to experience more enjoyable things.

For example: getting married.

Is this a good thing?

Looking at Ye Li and Jiang Ji, they are certainly good.

Moreover, his father encouraged him—or rather, tempted him—by saying he could find him a good man.

People's hearts are fickle, so there's no need to look far ahead. Just enjoy the present moment and part ways amicably in the future. If a good person changes their mind, then he can get a divorce and return to the Wu family.

He felt that this made sense.

With his condition, how can he expect to live a lifetime?

If you can experience a moment of peace and joy, then all this trouble will have been worthwhile.

But he also feared the changes that marriage would bring.

For example, integrating into a new environment.

For example, failure or separation.

But upon hearing Ye Li's words, he was quite tempted.

He was restless!

He's so boring.

He also wanted to have some fun.

Ye Li took in his reaction and understood, so she said, "But when it comes to marriage, it's easy to meet the wrong person, so Uncle Wu needs to be careful in choosing a partner."

"Brother Cai, what kind of person does Uncle Wu want to ask County Magistrate Yu to find for you?"

When the matter was mentioned, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Yu Cai's fair face.

He looked at his right leg: "Brother Li, you should know my family's situation. With my condition, what kind of family can I look for?"

"Those with better conditions look down on me."

"Of the ten people who think highly of me, nine and a half are just looking for shortcuts."

"My father didn't ask for much. As long as he was educated, came from a good family, and was a good person, that was enough."

After saying that, he pursed his lips again, not looking at Ye Li, feeling somewhat uncomfortable all over.

He wasn't familiar with Ye Li.

This topic has become somewhat familiar.

But for a moment he didn't know who to turn to for advice about his frustrations.

The children of his childhood playmates are all about the same age as Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya.

These people are now preoccupied with household chores and children, and rarely have the same ability as before, where he could come and bother them without prior notice.

Moreover, even if they meet, the conversation will inevitably veer towards the man, his parents-in-law, and the children.

He doesn't care whether he likes or dislikes these topics; if the other person is willing to talk about them, he's willing to listen.

In addition, since several of his friends did not want him to die alone, these topics could also be extended to him.

But precisely because of this, when he left home just now, although he felt frustrated, he didn't know who to look for.

No matter who he talks to, he can imagine the tone of their voice and what they want to say.

These are all old news.

Therefore, the carriage eventually arrived at Banxianju again.

Unexpectedly, he ran into Ye Li.

When he went to Yezaopo to place an order, he had already asked someone to inquire about Yeli's basic situation.

To be honest, he admired Ye Li.

A country bumpkin with no connections built such a large business in less than a year; he's far more capable than me.

Moreover, even though they have been married for more than half a year, they still look energetic and vibrant.

That's very rare.

It also made him yearn for it.

Therefore, when Granny Wang suggested inviting Ye Li into the shop for a cup of tea, he agreed without hesitation.

However, he wasn't familiar with Ye Li, and he felt a little embarrassed to suddenly say these things.

Ye Li, unaware of Yu Cai's thoughts, couldn't help but say after hearing Yu Cai's words, "Brother Cai, you have a good personality, a good family background, and good looks. These are such great advantages."

"Uncle Wu's request is a bit too simple."

He is educated, comes from a good family, and has good character.

With these requirements, it's not hard to find a suitable school by searching through private schools.

For example, Bao Beiyuan.

Although there is a significant age difference between the two, Bao Beiyuan himself is a very good person.

Thinking of this, he put down his teacup, rested his arms on the table, looked curiously at Yu Cai opposite him, and asked, "Brother Cai, what kind of person do you like?"

That's a very direct question.

Yu Cai became even more uncomfortable. He shifted his body to the side and said, "Why are you asking this?"

"Let's do some research. I know a few people, maybe there'll be someone suitable."

Ye Li explained.

"..."

After a moment's hesitation, Yu Cai said softly, "If you don't mind me and can take care of me, that's good. I'm quiet by nature, and he... would be better off being more talkative."

He did have some hope after all.

As his father said, he couldn't live a lonely and quiet life like a nameless tree in the backyard, passing his days in silence.

Even if the result is not good, at least you understand what it feels like to be happy and lively.

However, his answer stumped Ye Li.

Can you take care of yourself?

It's obvious that Yu Cai is hoping that the other person can be stronger. After all, Yu Cai has difficulty walking, so when the two of them are alone, the other person should at least be able to carry or lift Yu Cai.

But Bao Beiyuan, who is almost seventeen years old, has lost a lot of weight due to excessive grief over the past six months.

As for being talkative.

Bao Beiyuan is even less likely to meet this requirement.

Bao Beiyuan just wanted some peace and quiet.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Brother Cai, in my opinion, you might as well go and take a look at the private school."

A private school?

Yu Cai gently shook her head: "The students of private schools are all aiming for a bright future. Marrying someone like me, even if they don't have that intention, will still earn them the bad reputation of climbing the social ladder."

Such a person, once he achieves fame and success, is just like his father—he can turn on you as easily as flipping through a book.

After all, his father would eventually retire from his position as county magistrate.

His brother was just a scholar.

If he really becomes an official, will he be willing to let him divorce for the sake of his reputation?

“But, Cai-ge, if you don’t look for a scholar, anyone your age already has kids.”

"Only the scholars in private schools, because their whole families relied on them, delayed their marriages and remained unmarried until they were over twenty years old."

Upon hearing this, Yu Cai bit her lip, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face: "Even martial arts practitioners can be like this."

Martial arts practitioner?

Ye Li blinked. Was it going to follow the path of County Commandant Yu and select soldiers from the Thousand Households Office?

Or a bodyguard from a security escort agency?

However, Yu Cai really does prefer strong men and dislikes scholars.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Brother Cai, in my opinion, we should look around more and not be prejudiced. Beiyang County is so big, we can always find one that suits our taste."

In fact, he only knew one scholar, who was Jiang Ji's classmate, namely Peng Xiucai, who entered the county school on the same day as Jiang Ji.

This person passed the imperial examination at the county level a few years ago, but unfortunately his family was poor, and ordinary graduates had to pay all their own expenses to study at the county school.

Tuition, rent, food, and the cost of writing materials—all added up, it's no small sum.

So this person opened a private school in the village and copied books for others. After working for several years, he finally saved enough money to enroll in school on the same day as Jiang Ji.

After enrolling in the county school, this person did not stop making money. He worked various odd jobs while studying, much like Jiang Ji's previous situation.

So Jiang Ji paid a little attention to it.

Peng Xiucai was also in his twenties and unmarried.

Jiang Ji didn't know much about this person, and he knew even less. He knew nothing about the two most crucial aspects, such as character and appearance.

Therefore, he couldn't speak directly at this moment, and could only offer Yu Cai some general advice.

But Yu Cai was clearly not interested in the scholar. He said, "Alright, I've got it. If my father doesn't have a suitable candidate, then we'll consider the scholar."

Seeing this, Ye Li could only say, "However, the most important thing right now is to persuade Brother Yu to change his mind, so that we can avoid a lot of disputes in the future."

When the topic came up, Yu Cai was a little troubled: "My brother is a bit stubborn, and he feels guilty because he didn't protect me back then."

He also said that all men are bad, and that if I get married, I will suffer.

"...This is my own brother; only a real brother could say something so reasonable."

Ye Li couldn't help but nod in agreement.

But there are always exceptions.

Moreover, Yu Cai clearly wants to get married now.

So he smiled and said, "Brother Cai, I have something you might use to persuade Brother Yu."

"What did you say?" Yu Cai asked curiously, leaning towards him.

"It's like this... you ask him if he'd like to become a monk. If he doesn't, then you can't stop him from giving it a try."

Yu Cai: "..."

The language may be rough, but the principle is sound.

That makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

He laughed and said, "Brother Li, you really are a smart guy."

Ye Li smiled and said, "Then I'll be waiting for your good news."

“Okay, I’m at Banxianju almost every day. If you have time, you must come and visit.”

Yu Cai said earnestly.

A faint, almost imperceptible expectation lingered in his eyes.

"Anyway, I often go to Jiang Ji's place for meals, so I'll drop by for a visit sometime," Ye Li agreed.

"You two might as well come every day, eat whatever you want, no need to pay. I'll tell Manager Zhang later."

Yu Cai could not help but say.

Ye Li laughed upon hearing this: "Eating such greasy food every day is not good for your health. However, with Brother Cai's words, I will definitely come over often. Brother Cai, please don't complain that I have a big appetite and eat a lot."

Upon hearing this, Yu Cai laughed and said, "How can you be considered to have a big appetite if you eat alone? It's only when you include your husband and the two little ones at home that you can barely be considered one."

Ye Li: "If Ya Ge'er heard this, he would definitely jump for joy."

"Oh, this little guy is really cute. Here's what you do, bring him a few packets of snacks. They're all made by the chef at the shop, and they taste pretty good."

After Yu Cai finished speaking, she called over Granny Wang from next door and asked her to go to the kitchen to pack a few bags of pastries.

Ye Li did not refuse his kind offer.

"I'll bring Ya Ge over in a couple of days so he can thank Cai Ge in person."

"Thanks to you, I'm old enough to be his older brother."

Yu Cai smiled.

He is twenty years older than Jiang Ya.

“Brother Cai, you’re not old at all, and you’re good-looking too. You’re easy to spot in a crowd. It’s only right that Brother Ya calls you brother.”

It's true, Yu Cai is only twenty-six after the New Year.

In his previous life, wouldn't he have been in the prime of his life?

Upon hearing this, Yu Cai felt even more joyful.

He loved listening to Ye Li talk!

So, even after Granny Wang packed up the snacks and brought them over, he was reluctant to let Ye Li leave.

He kept Ye Li company for another half an hour before seeing her off.

Ye Li was also happy.

That's good. Now I'll have somewhere to kill time next time I come to the county town.

When he arrived home in his oxcart, the sun was already setting and it was getting dark.

Jiang Ya was overjoyed to see the hot pot ingredients and several packets of snacks in the basket.

Upon learning that the snacks were sent by Yu Cai, he insisted on personally thanking Brother Cai.

He also wants to go to the county town tomorrow!

However, Ye Li rejected him again.

Ye Li has important business to attend to tomorrow. He wants to inquire about Peng Xiucai with Jiang Ji, and he can't bring Jiang Ya along as a third wheel.

But he also promised Jiang Ya that he would take him to Banxianju in a couple of days.

He always kept his word, and Jiang Ya was satisfied with his promise. She happily took the snacks and ran to find Jiang Mai.

So, the next day, Ye Li went to the county town alone again.

This time, because he had important business to attend to, he didn't bring any steamed buns or dumplings. He waited for a while at the entrance of the county school, and when Jiang Ji came out, the two of them got into an oxcart and went to the noodle shop they had been frequenting recently.

At noon, when the restaurant was bustling with customers, Ye Li simply said that she wanted to act as a matchmaker and asked Jiang Ji to find out about Peng Xiucai's character.

Ye Li didn't say who she was going to matchmake, but Jiang Ji was very clever. Thinking about where Ye Li had gone yesterday afternoon, Jiang Ji raised an eyebrow at Ye Li and replied, "Don't worry, I'll find out carefully."

Seeing that he understood, Ye Li smiled and said, "Then tell me what he looks like?"

If it's too ugly, then there's no need to inquire.

"Very upright, with thick eyebrows and big eyes."

Jiang Jidao.

Hearing this, Ye Li felt relieved: "Then you should pay more attention and ask the questions you need to ask."

“That’s natural.” Jiang Ji nodded.

Manager Yu was already unlucky enough, and to make matters worse, he was the son of the county magistrate. They had to be careful with the matchmaker.

After we finished discussing the important matters, the noodles were served.

Jiang Ji wanted shredded pork noodles, not only a large portion, but also extra two ounces of noodles and shredded pork.

Noodles are a fast food that makes you hungry quickly, especially since Jiang Ji is using his brain.

So eat more meat, so you get carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

It's just missing leafy greens.

Ye Li ate soup noodles; in the dead of winter, drinking something hot would warm her up.

After finishing their meal, the couple sat for a while longer before Ye Li took Jiang Ji to the county school.

They were going to meet again tomorrow, so they didn't put on a dramatic farewell show in this situation.

But lately they've been eating mostly noodles, so Ye Li said, "How about I steam some rice tomorrow? And also make some braised pork."

Jiang Ji had already gotten off the oxcart. Hearing this, he was tempted, but shook his head: "It'll get cold."

“I brought the small stove with me and kept it warm along the way.”

Ye Lidao.

"No, that would be too tiring for you, especially since it's so cold and you have to get up early. Tomorrow we'll find a small restaurant and have rice."

Jiang Ji shook his head.

"I'll see how things go tomorrow."

Ye Li didn't give a definite answer.

Jiang Ji nodded, but still told him not to rush.

The two exchanged a few words, and then Ye Li cracked his whip and drove the oxcart away.

He walked quite a distance before Jiang Ji turned away and entered the county school.

He strode quickly and didn't notice Peng Xiucai coming from the other side of the road.

Peng Ximing stuffed the last bite of cornbread into his mouth and then raised his hand to rub his chest.

He steamed the cornbread in a hurry after school when he returned to his rented place.

Last night, he stayed up late copying books to finish his work.

This morning I took it to the bookstore to settle the bill.

So the cornbread could only be steamed at noon.

However, the cornbread was a bit dry today, and I choked on it if I ate it too quickly.

Seeing Ye Li driving the oxcart onto the side street, he withdrew his gaze, concealing the envy on his face, and quickly entered the county school.

Hot water is provided free of charge in the kitchen.

He needs to get a bowl of hot water.

The water in the bucket was running low, and other people in the yard were also getting water, so he didn't join the queue to save time.

So by the time the cornbread was steamed, the water at the bottom of the pot had almost boiled away.

With no water to drink, he could only rely on the hot water from the kitchen.

He went straight to the kitchen.

He filled a bowl with hot water from the kitchen and sat at the table, blowing on it as he slowly drank it.

Just then, the school bell rang.

He quickly ran towards the lecture hall.

well!

When will he meet a good person like Jiang Jifu?

He doesn't want to work hard anymore.