The matchmaker implied that her daughter, Cuifang, was being too demanding.

"It's my fault, it's my fault for not asking clearly. I still have to ask you for help with the matchmaker Cuifang's matter. No matter how tall she is, she should at least be presentable when taken out."

The village chief's wife thought for a moment and decided that she couldn't offend the matchmaker for the time being, so she didn't dare to complain too much.

"Okay, I understand. I'll look for someone else for you. Actually, this young man today is such a good catch."

If he were tall, he might not even be interested in your Cuifang. I just asked him, and he said he likes Cuifang very much and is very satisfied with her.

"Alas, it's a pity you don't think much of them."

The matchmaker could only sigh; another huge red envelope had flown away.

"I will try to persuade Cuifang to be less picky."

The village chief's wife knew that her daughter couldn't delay any longer; if she was over twenty, she would be an old maid.

"Okay, that's settled then. I'm going back now, old woman."

The matchmaker was annoyed, thinking she had wasted another day.

"Then I'll trouble you with Cuifang's matter."

The village chief's wife wasn't in the mood either, but she still delivered the flowers and the matchmaker to the door.

"Mother, why are you still speaking to her so nicely? Do you think I'm only good enough for a short, stout girl like her?"

Only after the matchmaker left did Liu Cuifang come out to berate her mother.

“There’s only one matchmaker in our village. If I don’t find her, what will happen to your marriage? You’re not getting any younger, you know that?”

The village chief's wife is now regretting not finding her a husband sooner; the older this girl gets, the more opinionated she becomes.

"Isn't there a matchmaker in Grandma's village? The marriage she arranged for Juan'er was quite good, wasn't it?"

Liu Cuifang was quite envious of her cousin Juan, who had married a literate man.

He used to work as an accountant in town, and now his whole family lives there happily.

"You're talking about Zhang the matchmaker, right? Your sister Juan's marriage is different; you don't know the inside story."

The village chief's wife shook her head; Cuifang only saw one side of the story and didn't know the inside scoop.

"What inside story?"

Liu Cuifang was a little curious.

“Your sister Juan has known him for a long time, and the two of them have already secretly pledged their lives to each other.”

The other party just asked a matchmaker to come and propose marriage; it wasn't the matchmaker who introduced them.

You were too young then to understand these things, and you probably thought it was a matchmaker who introduced you.”

The village chief's wife scoffed, saying that if they secretly pledged their lives to each other, it would be better if they met a responsible and good young man.

Some men would lure girls away and then run away, causing many girls to jump into the river because of this.

"So that's how it is. It seems we'd better find it ourselves."

Liu Cuifang never expected that her cousin's marriage would turn out like this. Sure enough, relying on those matchmakers was useless; she had to rely on herself.

"Don't even think about going out and arranging your own marriage. The matchmakers who introduce people to us have already thoroughly investigated the other party's family background."

If you go and make friends yourself, and someone claims to have money even though they don't, how would you know?

Judging from her daughter's tone, the village chief's wife knew she was going to find her future husband herself.

The village chief's wife quickly intervened, saying that this was no joke; the girl named Qiao'er from the village entrance had been impregnated.

But she couldn't find the father of the child in her womb. The address and name the child's father gave Qiao'er were all fake. In the end, Qiao'er jumped into the river and committed suicide.

"I understand, Mother, I won't do that."

While Liu Cuifang was verbally responding to her mother, her mind was starting to wander.

"Xiao Lei, take these loquats to Sister-in-law Xiuhua."

Wei Yuyan cut the loquat in half, put one half in the basket and handed it to Xiao Lei.

"Okay, sister-in-law."

Xiao Lei carried the basket outside.

Wei Yuyan, with Qianqian by her side, continued to clean the mushrooms, hoping to finish before dark.

"Sister-in-law, this is the pickled cabbage that Sister Xiuhua gave us. She said she pickled it herself."

Xiao Lei returned quickly, carrying a large bowl in his basket containing a large head of sauerkraut.

"Wow, it smells so good! Your sister-in-law will cook it for you in a bit."

Wei Yuyan smelled the sourness and thought that once she earned more money, she would buy a few jars to pickle vegetables and sauerkraut.

In the evening, Wei Yuyan steamed rice, stir-fried pickled cabbage with chili peppers, and fried eggs with scallions.

"Kids, come and eat! This pickled cabbage is delicious!"

Wei Yuyan was hungry, and the children must be hungry too. The mushrooms had been cleaned and were all hung out to dry.

"I want to eat two bowls."

Xiaoqian was already hungry and had just eaten a piece of pastry to fill her stomach.

"You can eat three bowls if you want."

Wei Yuyan cooked a lot of rice so that they could eat more.

"Sister-in-law, are you going to dig bamboo shoots tomorrow?"

Xiao Lei remembered that his sister-in-law and Xiuhua were chatting today about going to dig bamboo shoots.

"Yes, do you and your sister want to go?"

Wei Yuyan respected their opinions; they could go if they wanted to, and they didn't have to if they didn't want to.

“I want to go, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for you three to eat cold pancakes on the mountain. Why don’t you go up the mountain and find bamboo shoots first?”

At noon, I prepared the food at home and brought it up to you for lunch.

This way you can have hot meals again, and the chickens and rabbits at home won't go hungry.

Xiao Lei thought for a moment and came up with this great idea.

"Hmm, that's a great idea, Qianqian. Do you want to go with your brother or your sister-in-law?"

Wei Yuyan was pleased that Xiao Lei had such an idea.

"I want to be with my brother, I want to sleep in."

Qianqian made no attempt to hide her true feelings; she just wanted to sleep in.

"Okay, sure, then we'll be waiting for you two to bring us lunch tomorrow at noon."

Wei Yuyan thought that she should take out the ingredients she was going to cook in advance yesterday morning, so that he wouldn't be at a loss for what to cook.

"good".

Qianqian pouted and nodded.

Exhausted, Wei Yuyan soaked in the bathtub, beginning to wonder if she had spoken too soon.

Picking mushrooms all day was really tiring, but if we don't go dig for bamboo shoots tomorrow, there won't be any left to dig for, and they'll get old and won't taste good.

After thinking it over, Wei Yuyan decided to work hard tomorrow and dig up more bamboo shoots.

After climbing out of the bathtub, Wei Yuyan emptied the water and went straight to bed.

The next morning, Wei Yuyan got up and leisurely cooked some white porridge.

Since there were no pickled vegetables, we ate the leftover stir-fried sauerkraut from last night with the porridge.

"Sister-in-law, you haven't finished eating yet. I'm ready."

Wei Yuyan had only eaten half of her meal when Sister-in-law Xiuhua was already better, and she looked even more energetic than Wei Yuyan.

"Sister-in-law Xiuhua, I've cooked some plain porridge. Would you like some?"

Wei Yuyan called her to drink porridge.

"I ate noodles this morning, and I'm quite full."

Sister-in-law Xiuhua shook her head; she was already full.

“Let’s go then. The children aren’t going; they’ll bring us lunch.”

Wei Yuyan quickly finished the porridge in her bowl and took four eggs from the counter and put them on the stove.