Chapter 138
The three of them were playing with Little Peach when Lin Huzi came running in from the back door in a great hurry.
Panting, he said to Mu Jin, "Master...Master, you've arranged a marriage for Li-ge'er?!"
Mu Jin, Bai Qiqiu, and Wen Zhaoran all looked at him, along with Xiao Taozi, who was sucking her little finger and staring curiously at this uncommon Uncle Tiger.
Having been through it all, Mu Jin understood everything about Lin Huzi's situation.
Pretending not to know, he mischievously teased Lin Huzi.
"Oh? That's right. As you know, Li Ge'er is getting older, and we can't keep him by our side all the time. Now that Li Ge'er can earn money on his own, quite a few families in the village are eyeing him. Your boss, Lin, and I are planning to find him a good family. We've already made a decision."
Lin Huzi immediately panicked, "Master, could you... could you please not betroth Li Ge'er to someone else? What do you think of me! I promise to treat Li Ge'er well for the rest of my life. I swear that if I betray Li Ge'er, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"
Mu Jin feigned surprise: "You?! When did you become interested in Li Ge'er? Could it be that you only started dating him because he can earn money...?"
Lin Huzi was really anxious, daring to interrupt Mu Jin, his face turning red with urgency.
“Master, I am truly sincere. I am not after Li-ge’er’s money. I can’t explain when I developed these feelings for him. Li-ge’er is so obedient and gentle. I only know how to be with him and feel comfortable. When Nuo-ge’er came back to the pepper garden and told me about it, I was filled with fear. I didn’t want to imagine… I didn’t want to have any regrets. I originally planned to save up some more money, build a few new mud-brick houses at home, and then come back to ask for his hand in marriage. But now I can’t wait any longer, so I shamelessly came here to ask you, Master, to give me Li-ge’er!”
The sincerity of the young people is obvious.
Mu Jin finished teasing him and said, "I understand. When Li Ge'er comes back, if he is willing to live with you, then you should invite the matchmaker, Mu Mei, to your home."
Lin Huzi's eyes immediately lit up. "Thank you, boss!"
After saying that, he rushed back to the pepper garden, perhaps to secretly look for Wang Li.
After everyone left, Bai Qiqiu gently squeezed Xiao Taozi's little hand and said, "Big brother, you've really become bad."
Wen Zhaoran laughed and said, "Look how anxious Tiger is, he almost cried. I saw it clearly, his eyes were red with worry."
Mu Jin remained noncommittal, saying, "If we don't scare him a little, how can we get him to tell us the truth?"
"However, Hu Zi is better off than the Li family. Although there are no elders to help him, he is hardworking and reliable. He also gets along well with Li Ge'er and Nuo Ge'er. It is a good match."
Bai Qiqiu felt more and more that the closer he was to his elder brother, the more blessings he would receive.
Like Wang Li, like him, they all found good partners.
A gentle breeze blows, the peach trees sway, their shadows dance, and it's wonderfully cool.
Wang Li returned home just before lunchtime, holding a string of candied hawthorns, one of which had already been eaten.
"Li-ge'er, who gave you the candied hawthorn?"
Mu Jin thought it was Lin Huzi who bought candied hawthorns to coax Wang Li.
Unexpectedly, Wang Li said, "My master bought it for me. It's delicious. I'm giving it to my little nephew."
Mu Jin chuckled, "Little Peach is still too young to eat this."
Wang Li thought for a moment, then handed the candied hawthorn to Mu Jin, saying, "Then brother can have it."
Mu Jin shook her head. "Brother doesn't eat either. Li-ge'er, I have something to ask you. Come here."
Mu Jin waved to Wang Li, and the two sat down at the stone table.
Mu Jin took the money pouch that Bai Qiqiu had given her out of her bosom and placed it on the stone table.
"Li-ge'er, do you still remember all those things you wove, like birds and rabbits? Your brother Qi Qiu took them all to town, saying he'd help you sell them for money?"
Wang Li held the candied hawthorn and nodded obediently.
Mu Jin pushed the money bag towards him, "This is the money you earned from the things you made. Keep it."
Wang Li, holding a candied hawthorn, peeked inside and exclaimed, "Wow, so much money!"
Mu Jin smiled. Wang Li had previously helped with the fire at the dye shop, but he didn't earn much money, which was used up after buying some food.
There's quite a bit of silver in this purse now, so Mu Jin needs to give him a lot of advice.
Just as he was about to speak, Wang Li pushed the money pouch back and said, "Brother, take it."
Mu Jin smiled and shook her head. "Brother has all of these. Don't give them to Li Ge'er. Li Ge'er, you must remember that this silver can buy lots and lots of candied hawthorns, meat, rice, and noodles. Don't give them to others casually. You must hide them well. You can use the silver to buy whatever you want to eat."
Wang Li obediently nodded, "Even my brother won't give it to me?"
Mu Jin nodded, "It's all yours. Once you're married, if your husband treats you well, you can spend some on him. And if you have children, you can spend some on your own children."
Looking into Wang Li's clear eyes, Mu Jin felt a sense of guilt for corrupting the child.
"Brother, what is marriage? Husband? Is the child Little Peach?"
Mu Jin shook her head. "Getting married means living together like your brother Lin and I do. The child is your own. Look at your brother Qi Qiu, isn't there a little baby in his belly? That's his own child."
Seeing that Wang Li seemed to understand, Mu Jin continued, "Li-ge'er, what do you think of Hu Zi as your husband?"
Wang Li's eyes lit up immediately. "I like Brother Hu. He picks fruit for Li-ge'er to eat. It's sweet and delicious. I want Brother Hu to be my husband and live together with Nuo-ge'er."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Alright, when Li Ge'er turns eighteen, how about he gets married to Hu Zi?"
Wang Li nodded emphatically.
Mu Jin looked at him, her eyes crinkling with a smile. In another two or three years, Wang Li might learn more and become more mature.
"Alright, I've finished telling you what I wanted to say. Now hurry up and hide your money bag."
Wang Li put away the money pouch, nodded, and ran upstairs to his room.
Lin Huzi received the news in no time. Overjoyed, he invited a matchmaker, bought the betrothal gifts, and went to Mu Jin's place three days later.
The engagement had been arranged with Mulan beforehand.
This was a big deal for Wang Li, so Mu Jin quickly invited Zhou Fengnian and Zhou Chuxue over.
Zhou Fengnian's eyes were filled with tears, and his hands trembled as he held Lin Huzi's.
"Good, good, good, I can say that I have given my due to Liu'er in the afterlife. Good, good, Tiger, I don't ask you for much. Just treat Li Ge'er well. He has had a hard time these past ten years. If one day you get tired of Li Ge'er, don't bully him. Just send him back to my home, that's all."
Zhou Chuxue nudged him with her elbow, "On such a joyous day, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Lin Huzi said solemnly, "Uncle Fengnian, that day will never come."
Zhou Fengnian nodded repeatedly, "Good, good, good boy!"
Lin Huzi took the two taels of silver he had saved for who knows how long as his dowry. Although it was not as much as the dowry that people in the village gave when they married their sons, it was all he had.
The rice is millet, and the noodles are coarse noodles. Although they cannot compare to refined rice and flour, they are both two bushels, which is a generous gift.
Mu Mei smiled and said, "Brother Li is a lucky boy. Although the first ten years or so were tough, the rest of his life will surely be sweet as honey."
With red eyes, Zhou Fengnian said to Zhou Lin, "Lin'er, Jin'er, thank you so much for your concern for Li'er."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Uncle, A Lin and I didn't do anything. It's all Li Ge'er's good fortune. His elder brother is watching over him from the afterlife."
After Lin Huzi and Mu Mei left, Zhou Fengnian wiped away his tears. "I'll go buy some paper now and tell Liu'er that he can rest in peace in the afterlife."
With that, he went home with Zhou Chuxue.
After seeing them off, Mu Jin sighed, "Little Peach is still not grown up, but I have already received several betrothal gifts."
Wen Zhaoran laughed from the side, "When Xiao Taozi goes to find a husband, you have plenty of experience in marrying off young men, so you definitely won't panic."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "That makes sense."
With that, he took the betrothal money and went upstairs to find Wang Li.
Today is the engagement day, and since the young master shouldn't come out, Mu Jin made him stay in the room upstairs.
The news of Wang Li and Lin Huzi's engagement spread like wildfire throughout every corner of Mujia Village.
"Tsk tsk tsk, fools are sometimes lucky."
“With Jin’er backing him up, Renli Ge’er now earns more than one tael of silver a month, which is better than many men in the village.”
"Tch, what's the use of making money if he's still an idiot?"
"Aunt Mu, that's a really sour thing to say."
"I'm jealous of him? He's just an idiot! You should ask yourself if what you're saying is ridiculous!"
The husband pursed his lips as he spoke; everyone knew that Aunt Mu loved to pick the best.
"Speaking of which, in the Zhou family, Lin is truly the most promising one now. Look at Zhou Ming, he's the best at talking and making people happy, but what good is it? He lost his job in town, and for some reason, his new wife ran away in late spring after giving birth."
"Tsk tsk tsk, that guy, always dressed up so extravagantly, he's not the kind of person who can live a stable life."
“Alas, Qing’er’s life isn’t very good these days either. My home is close to his. He looks honest, but he always beats and scolds me behind my back. Oh, the way Qing’er begs for mercy, it’s heartbreaking to hear.”
"It's all about timing and fate. What's the point of Qing-ge'er being so angry? Even if Ming-xiao is no good, I've never seen him hit his husband."
"In my opinion, Jin-ge'er is blessed with good fortune and will bring good luck to her husband."
Unaware of the gossip and slander against him by the women and husbands in the village, Mu Qing was carrying the dying little Suo'er and running crying towards the town.
"Ah Qing, what's wrong?"
Not long after they ran out of the village, they ran into Zhou Ming, who was on his way to town to look for new work.
Now that there's a new baby in the family, he has to earn money to support them no matter what.
Mu Qing's lips were swollen. When she saw it was Zhou Ming, she quickly grabbed his sleeve.
She choked back tears and said, "Amin, please save our Suo'er, he's dying."
As she spoke, large tears streamed down her face.
Zhou Ming's heart tightened. He picked up Xiao Suo'er, feeling his faint breathing. Without saying a word, he held Xiao Suo'er tightly and ran quickly to the town.
Mu Qing ran behind him with tears streaming down her face, thinking of me. If Suo'er were gone, he wouldn't be able to live either.
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