As soon as Xu Genqing and Li Laoshi started arguing, someone immediately stepped forward and separated the two.
Xu Gensheng pulled Xu Genqing back: "Oh, forget it. It's like the sky is going to rain or a mother is going to remarry. You, as her son, can't control it! Prepare more dowry for your mother in the future..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Genqing slapped him to the ground: "Nonsense, get out!"
On the other side, Li Laoshi was also pulled back by Xu Genbao and the others: "Laoshi, you're doing well now, why don't you find a young woman to marry!"
Li Laoshi jumped up and down: "A real man's word is his bond! Since I said I'd marry Sister Qin, I don't want those little girls!"
Liu sighed beside her, "Oh dear, what's going on! Genqing's mother has never had a peaceful year in her life."
"That wretched woman, Dongjuan, is truly despicable. She's been married for over ten years, with separate families on each side, and now she's still interfering in her parents' affairs."
Wang Xiaoju, standing next to Liu, said, "This is all her fault. She almost caused Lianhua to stop producing milk. Aunt Qin is now acting like she's going to die. If Genqing beats Uncle Li, it will sound even worse."
Liu's eyebrows were furrowed in knots. Qin was hanging herself and slitting her throat at home, saying that she was innocent but was being slandered and that she didn't want to live anymore.
Xu Genqing came to Li Laoshi again demanding an explanation, causing a great commotion.
Wang Xiaoju comforted her mother-in-law, then stood on tiptoe to look around. As soon as she saw people, she said, "They're here! They're here! Master Changming and the others are here."
Xu Changming pulled Xiaoman over, excitedly saying as they walked, "Brother Changgeng, this is a matter for our Xu family. The village chief isn't here, so you should say something!"
After being proven wrong several times, he's become quite shrewd. Whenever there's a tricky situation, he puts Xiaoman in the front line first.
If a family's chickens peck at vegetables or dogs trample on seedlings, or if a child defecates indiscriminately, then that family is responsible for taking care of them.
Er Rui followed behind. He had already heard Li Laoshi talk about things with Aunt Qin, and naturally agreed with him.
However, when it comes to such domestic matters as marriage, the decision is ultimately made by Genqing and Aunt Qin themselves, and no matter what others say, it makes no difference.
He thought to himself, wondering what his mother would say if she were here, while learning how to handle disputes from Grandpa Xiaoman.
When Grandpa Xiaoman saw the group of people struggling under the shade of the canopy, he immediately scolded them, "Let go of each other right now! What kind of mess is this that you're making a laughingstock of yourself?"
Despite the commotion, only Xu Gensheng, Xu Genbao, Wang Xiaoju, and other family members were actually under the drying shed; outsiders like Tian Gui were not there.
When Xu Genqing saw that several elders from the same clan had arrived, he stood aside, and Li Laoshi straightened his wrinkled clothes and stopped making a fuss.
Xiaoman glanced at the two of them and called out Li Laoshi's name: "Laoshi, what's your explanation for this? Do you really want to marry Qin Shi?"
Li Laoshi nodded repeatedly: "I'm willing. We've already come to this point. People have to live, and Sister-in-law Qin also has her pride."
Xiaoman snorted and asked Xu Genqing, "Genqing, what do you say? Even if you beat Li Laoshi to death, it won't stop the rumors, and if word gets out about your fight, it will be even more difficult to explain."
Xu Genqing looked conflicted: "Master Chang Geng, my mother is already this old... now it's my turn as her son to take care of her and let her remarry..."
Grandpa Xiaoman said earnestly, "Precisely because your mother is so old, she should think about herself."
"Qin has had a tough time all these years. She raised you and is now taking care of your child. She also wants someone to talk to by her side."
Xu Genqing kept his head down and remained silent.
Xu Gensheng, who was not afraid of death, had just been slapped to the ground, and now he put his arm around Xu Genqing's shoulder: "You have to take this matter in stride."
If your mother and Li Laoshi are truly in love, there's no point in trying to stop them. You might as well go along with their wishes and let them have a happy ending.
Xu Genqing ignored him, only looking up at Xiaomanye: "It's not that I don't want to help them, it's just... the villagers are gossiping..."
"If you are upright, you have nothing to fear. As long as your family is doing well, let others say what they want."
Grandpa Xiaoman comforted her, "Besides, although Li Laoshi doesn't like farming, he's a man of his word in other matters. I believe he'll treat your mother well."
Xiaomanye has been urging Li Laoshi to get married so that the whole family can prosper.
Although Qin is old and has a bad temper, she has been a widow for many years and has a clean reputation. She doesn't cause any trouble now.
Since Li Laoshi himself was willing, he naturally wanted to make it happen.
Xu Genqing remained silent for a long time before finally nodding. "Alright, I agree to their marriage."
Hearing that Xu Genqing had agreed, Li Laoshi breathed a sigh of relief, touched the bump on his head, and muttered to himself: What a terrible idea Wang Xiaoju came up with, making me get another bump, but it's worth it to get Xu Genqing to agree!
Grandpa Xiaoman smiled and said, "That's right, it's more important for the family to be harmonious and peaceful than anything else."
Then he looked at Li Laoshi and said, "You should get ready, choose an auspicious day to hold the wedding, and live a down-to-earth life."
Li Laoshi readily agreed, his face beaming with undisguised joy.
Xu Changming and Liu Shi were still in shock. They had been fighting so fiercely just moments before, and now they had agreed after just a few words.
Pi had been watching from a distance, and when he heard Xu Genqing agree, he immediately turned around and ran towards Lianhua's house.
As soon as he entered, he said to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law who were waiting for news, "Genqing has agreed. Master Changgeng has asked Li Laoshi to prepare for the matter!"
Qin blushed deeply: "Genqing didn't hit him, did he?"
Pi thought of the bruise on Li Laoshi's head and shook his head: "He wasn't hit. Besides, Uncle Li said he's not afraid of mountains of knives or seas of fire. Getting beaten is easier than going through mountains of knives."
Lianhua sat on the bed, holding the child carefully, and said, "Mother, don't blame Genqing. He had no choice. If he didn't make a scene like this once, people would laugh at him."
This was the ingenious scheme Wang Xiaoju devised. First, she persuaded Lianhua to understand that her mother-in-law, Qin, had remarried, and then she whispered in Xu Genqing's ear.
Once Xu Genqing agrees, and rumors are spread to let everyone know, it will be a natural thing for the two to get married.
This whole thing was caused by Xu Dongjuan. With the elders of the clan agreeing, they weren't afraid that Qin Shi would get married and Xu Genqing would become a laughingstock.
The news of Li Laoshi and Qin's marriage quickly spread throughout the village. With Xiaomanye acting as the matchmaker and Xu Genqing agreeing, no one said a bad word about it.
Li Laoshi consulted someone who said the sixth day of the month was auspicious for marriage and settling down. With only five days to go, he immediately took Errui to propose marriage.
“Errui, your mother has long legs. She doesn’t go out, but when she does, she doesn’t come back for days. You’ll have to take care of this for me.”
While it was said that Errui went to propose marriage, Wang Xiaoju and Xu Gensheng were actually quite busy.
A group of people rushed around, laughing and joking as they proposed marriage, and then hurriedly tidied up Li Laoshi's doghouse.
They also built a kitchen next to it and furnished it with pots, pans and bowls.
When Jiang Zhi returned from her rounds, she discovered that the village had accomplished quite a bit in the past few days.
The second batch of corn has been harvested, and some have even been dried and stored away.
Li Laoshi was also cleaned up and dressed in a new outfit. He shamelessly asked me to give him a big red envelope: "Sister Jiang, I'm going to have my wedding ceremony with Sister Qin. I was worried that you wouldn't make it to my wedding banquet, but at least you can give me your gift."
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