Huang Meijuan didn't come to work in the morning. Bai Jiaojiao had only asked casually, but when she heard that Huang Meijuan had taken Li Shuxian and his mother to Huangjiazhuang to look at potential partners, she immediately got a jolt of fear.

Bai Jiaojiao couldn't help but glance in the direction of the Li family.

Is this fate? Was Li Shuxian destined to suffer this calamity?

Li Shuxian didn't want to go to Huangjiazhuang, but he couldn't go against his mother's wishes. He had already managed to hide once before, and this time there was no way he could escape.

Along the way, Li's mother couldn't help but grimac when she saw the poverty of Huangjiazhuang.

However, if you look at it from another angle, girls from places like this are definitely good at working, or at least they are hardworking.

Li Shuxian and his mother were taken to Huangjiazhuang, where Huang Yingying was already waiting at home.

She braided her hair into two pigtails, just like when she went to Shili Village last time, and tied one side with a red string, which gave her not-so-rosy face some color.

When Huang Yingying saw Li Shuxian arrive, she bit her lip, trying to make it look rosier.

"You're here?" Huang Yingying's mother, Wang Cuilan, glanced at Li Shuxian and noticed that although he was wearing coarse cloth, it was clear that it had been made in recent years, with few patches and even minimal wear.

To make a good impression on the bride's family, Li's mother wore a polyester fabric that she would only wear when going out.

Although both sides knew it was all for show, the Huang family didn't even have a single set of clothes to wear.

"Come in quickly, come in quickly."

Only Huang Yingying and Wang Cuilan were at the Huang family home. It was unclear whether the laborers had been sent away or were unable to attend work.

Wang Cuilan welcomed them into her home and gave Huang Yingying a wink: "Go pour two bowls of sweet soup for your aunt and brother."

"No need, no need to be polite!" Li's mother glanced at the bare house, which didn't even have a chair. Li Shuxian, a man, couldn't squeeze onto the kang with them, so he had to stand in front of the kang.

"Hurry up and go, what are you dawdling for?" Wang Cuilan said with a smile, urging Huang Yingying on.

Huang Yingying blushed, glanced at Li Shuxian, lowered her head, and pulled her braid as she left the house in front of Li Shuxian.

When Li Shuxian looked at Huang Yingying, the first thought that came to his mind was that she was far inferior to Bai Shiqing.

There's nothing to be coy about.

"Auntie, have some water."

Huang Yingying was efficient; she brought up two bowls of sweet soup in no time.

Li's mother glanced into the sugar water but couldn't see anything special.

But seeing how poor the family was, and wondering how long the candy had been stored, she decided not to drink it and pushed the bowl to Huang Meijuan instead: "I'm not thirsty, you children drink it."

Huang Meijuan was embarrassed and didn't take it.

After Huang Yingying returned, she stood at the door waiting, her head down, as if she couldn't bear to be seen.

Li Shuxian had a blank face. His mother put her hand on his arm and said, "He caused trouble last time and we didn't have a chance to talk. I brought him here today to apologize."

Wang Cuilan smiled and said, "When Yingying came back last time, she told me that the eldest brother of the Li family is really good. Today you came to visit, Yingying, didn't you have something to say?"

After hearing what she said, Huang Yingying's face sank even lower to her chest.

Wang Cuilan looked at Li's mother and said, "Come on, sister-in-law, our poor village doesn't have much, but we dug up two lotus roots from the pond a couple of days ago. I'll take you to see them."

The three of them made up an excuse and left, giving Huang Yingying and Li Shuxian some alone time.

Huang Yingying lowered her head and didn't say anything. Li Shuxian clicked his tongue, wondering what was going on.

If the two of them lived together, he would be bored to death.

Li Shuxian is most like Li Shiqing's son. The father and son are both good at teaming up with others, enjoy socializing, are warm-hearted, and talkative. What they can't stand the most is a quiet and reserved personality.

She's not even as good as Bai Shiqing.

For some reason, Bai Shiqing kept popping into Li Shuxian's mind. He couldn't help but think that if he could marry Bai Shiqing, he would definitely live a happy life in the future.

But Bai Shiqing probably wouldn't think much of him.

Li Shuxian pondered the matter more and more, and Huang Yingying called him twice before he heard her.

"Huh? What are you doing?"

"Brother Xian, have some water."

Huang Yingying handed the bowl of sugar water to Li Shuxian.

"I put in a lot of sugar," Huang Yingying said, then lowered her head again.

She was already frail, and this demeanor made her appear even more thin and frail.

Li Shuxian politely took a sip and said, "We both understand what my mother and your mother mean, so let me be frank with you: we're not meant to be."

Upon hearing this, Huang Yingying's tears flowed like a dam breaking: "What did I do wrong?"

"No, it's not your fault, why are you crying?"

Li Shuxian was a little overwhelmed when he saw the girl crying in front of him.

“If there’s anything you don’t like about me, you can tell me, and I can change it.” Huang Yingying bit her lip. “If you think my family is poor, there’s nothing I can do. But if I’m with you, I’ll definitely help you keep your house in perfect order.”

"I told you I didn't dislike you..."

"Cough cough cough, cough cough!"

Huang Yingying suddenly coughed. Li Shuxian didn't expect to upset the young girl like this. He spoke a little faster: "Your family is indeed a bit poor, but you yourself are quite good. If you were to look for someone, you could definitely find someone better than me. We just aren't meant to be. It's not that you're not good enough."

Li Shuxian was eloquent, and Huang Yingying coughed for a long time before finally suppressing it, her voice a little hoarse: "Why aren't we destined to be together?"

"These things are hard to explain."

Huang Yingying touched her lips, which were moist from coughing: "But if you come to my house today and don't make a commitment to me, people in the village will definitely gossip. What will happen to my reputation?"

Li Shuxian was about to offer some words of comfort, but upon hearing Huang Yingying's words, his eyes widened: "What's there to say? If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. I've never heard of two people having to like each other."

"Cough cough, that's just how it is in our village anyway." Huang Yingying's voice was slightly hoarse from coughing.

"Just say you didn't like me, whatever your family says is fine, okay?"

Huangjiazhuang was separated from Shili Village by a town. The area was remote and difficult to access, so even the feudalist Li Shuxian believed it with some skepticism.

"That's not how it is!" Huang Yingying's eyes reddened, and she was about to cry again.

Li Shuxian said, "So, do I have to be with you?"

Huang Yingying didn't answer, but lowered her head and began to wipe away her tears.

Li Shuxian felt like he had been extorted.

He quickly went out of the house and into the yard: "Mom, it's a long way from here, we should go back!" After saying that, he walked out without looking back.

Seeing Li Shuxian's angry expression, Li's mother knew that the negotiations had not been successful.

"I'm so sorry, we really have to go back right away." Li's mother gave an awkward smile, inwardly grumbling about Li Shuxian.

Huang Meijuan took the day off to go back to her parents' home today, and will return tomorrow morning.

She didn't leave with Li Shuxian and his mother. Wang Cuilan glared at her: "What's wrong? Didn't you say you liked our Yingying?"