"What did the matchmaker say?"
Li Erzhu stopped and turned to look at Li Hongxing.
"The matchmaker said my clothes were so tattered and ragged, so shabby, that no rich man's son would ever be interested in someone like me..."
Upon hearing Li Hongxing's words, Li Erzhu frowned slightly.
Indeed, his daughter was dressed rather shabbily, with no hair ornaments or bracelets on her hands.
Although she looked quite pretty with a little makeup, her worn-out and faded clothes were a major letdown.
Li Erzhu thought to himself, if he could get some jewelry for his daughter, change her clothes, and dress her up properly, she would look like a young lady from a wealthy family, and maybe then the marriage would be on the horizon.
"The three taels of silver your uncle gave you isn't enough..."
Li Erzhu started speaking but then jogged towards Li Youran's carriage.
"My dear niece, why are you staying here instead of going home?"
Ever since he learned that Li Youran had a friend who sent her a whole truckload of New Year's goods, Li Erzhu has become increasingly "friendly" to Li Youran.
"Second Uncle, Second Aunt is back." Li Youran greeted her, "Hongxing, how did your blind date go today? Did you meet anyone you liked?"
Li Youran hoped that Li Hongxing would get married soon and get rid of this leech. If Li Hongxing married well, Li Erzhu would no longer be eyeing her family's small plot of land.
"Sister Youran..."
"My dear niece is so thoughtful. Your sister didn't meet a suitable partner today, so we'll continue tomorrow."
Li Erzhu knew that Li Youran was a difficult person to deal with, and it would not be easy to get anything out of her. If he revealed the reason for the failed blind date, it would only arouse Li Youran's suspicion, making his plan difficult to implement.
"Marriage is not a trivial matter; it is perfectly normal for a couple of days of getting to know each other to not be successful."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Li Youran asked Li Erzhu's family to go home and help, and then called his elder brother, Li Haoran, to come over.
Li Youran wasn't stupid; she knew that without someone watching over her, they definitely couldn't stop Wang Xiangyu.
During the Lunar New Year, Li Youran didn't want to suffer in silence, so she decided to have a showdown with Wang Xiangyu to see who would have the last laugh.
But Lu Chuan saw things differently.
"You Ran, I know you can't let go of me, but I've already married someone else, so our past is over."
After about half an incense stick's time, Lu Chuan and Wang Xiangyu came out of the Wang family home to go back.
The carriage had only taken a few steps before it was blocked by Li Youran's carriage, and before it could even leave the alley.
"You Ran, if you don't feel wronged, I'm willing to take you as my concubine."
Seeing that Li Youran did not respond to his words, Lu Chuan thought that he had hit the nail on the head, so he continued.
"Are you willing to divorce her?" Li Youran originally disdained to pay attention to Lu Chuan, but seeing Wang Xiangyu standing to the side, she deliberately provoked him.
When Lu Chuan saw Li Youran ask such a question, he knew it was a game, so he looked at Li Youran with great excitement.
"I'd do anything for you." Lu Chuan said with a troubled expression, "But I've already married Wang Xiangyu, and I can't just divorce her like that. How about you be my wife and she be my concubine?"
Sure enough, Wang Xiangyu's face turned very ugly when she heard Lu Chuan's words.
"Wang Xiangyu, it's not too late for you to apologize to me now."
Wang Xiangyu clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and glared at Li Youran with a fierce expression.
Marrying a man who is impotent is bad enough, but to have someone else in his heart is even worse. Wang Xiangyu felt like she had jumped into a huge pit.
Even so, she was unwilling to climb out of this pit, because once she did, she would be an abandoned woman just like Li Youran.
She had to endure it. Even though Lu Chuan was impotent, she was unwilling to give up this powerful figure, because Lu Chuan would pass the imperial examination and become a successful candidate in the provincial examination, and she would become a glamorous wife of a successful candidate.
Although the child wasn't Lu Chuan's, having a child is better than having none.
After all, there are some things that others won't know as long as she doesn't say them. Even if there are negative rumors about Lu Chuan, these rumors will be dispelled once she gives birth to the child.
"I'm sorry, I was wrong."
For the sake of her bright future and her happiness, Wang Xiangyu had no choice but to bow down to Li Youran, because if the stalemate continued, Lu Chuan might really leave with Li Youran.
"It's good that you know you're wrong. I'm a very magnanimous person and I generally don't make things difficult for others."
Li Youran knew that Wang Xiangyu couldn't bear to part with Lu Chuan. Even though Lu Chuan had a hidden illness, she couldn't bear to give him up for the sake of her so-called status and wealth.
Although it took some time, Li Youran was in a good mood because Wang Xiangyu bowed her head and apologized to her.
Li Haoran had never seen Li Youran so serious before, and he wondered if Li Youran really hadn't forgotten Lu Chuan.
But he immediately dismissed the idea. Lu Chuan wasn't a man at all, so why would his little sister put her heart into him?
It was nothing more than Wang Xiangyu bullying her younger sister, and the younger sister didn't want to suffer in silence, so she forced Wang Xiangyu to admit her mistake.
However, Li Haoran was quite happy. No matter what grievances his younger sister had suffered before, she always kept them to herself, never fighting back or arguing back.
Now, Li Haoran is very pleased that his younger sister is flexible, resilient, and passionate.
Back in her room, Li Youran decided to change her clothes and prepare to cook.
After removing the hairpin from her hair and opening the jewelry box, Li Youran discovered that the forty-five taels of silver inside were missing.
"My dear niece, what you're saying is really embarrassing for us. Even if we're poor, we would never steal your things!"
Li Erniang looked as if she had suffered a great injustice, crying and shouting at the same time.
Li Erzhu had long harbored the idea of stealing some silver, but he couldn't get his hands on any money in the shop, so he simply focused his attention on his home.
He had to get the money quickly and give Li Hongxing a good makeover so she could marry into a wealthy family.
Just like gambling in a casino, you have to place bets on everything to make a profit.
Taking advantage of the fact that Li Haoran and Li Youran were not at home and that no one was home, Li Erzhu quietly searched the house and found that his elder brother's house did not have anything of value, and he could not find a place to keep the silver.
Finally, he found forty-five taels of silver in Li Youran's jewelry box.
Forty-five taels of silver was no small sum, and Li Erzhu originally only intended to steal a portion of it. But since he had already stolen it, he decided to go all the way and steal all the money.
"Brother, keep watch over our gate, I'm going to report to the authorities right now!"
Upon hearing that Li Youran was going to report to the authorities, Li Niangzi and Li Dazhu panicked.
"My dear niece, let's talk this out."
Li Erzhu hurriedly said to Li Youran with a fawning expression.
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