"It's getting late, I should head back now. I'll come over this afternoon to tidy up the chicken coop for you."
Sister-in-law Xiuhua was thinking that her husband would be working tomorrow, so she was making something nice for lunch today.
"Thank you, Sister-in-law Xiuhua."
Wei Yuyan had to thank them.
"If you keep doing this, I'm not coming this afternoon."
Sister-in-law Xiuhua couldn't stand having to say thank you every day.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore."
Wei Yuyan is also getting ready to cook; she's having her favorite snails for lunch today.
I have to cook it myself; I don't know if Xiao Lei has chopped the ingredients yet.
"Xiao Lei, are the ingredients chopped?"
Wei Yuyan waited a long time but he didn't come out.
"It's all chopped, sister-in-law. I was just washing the vegetables, and now they're done. The rice is cooked too."
Xiao Lei came out when he heard his sister-in-law call him.
"Okay, I'll go stir-fry the snails."
Wei Yuyan hopped into the kitchen, brought out the steamed rice, heated oil in a wok, and first made a dry pot of snail meat.
Then set it aside. Heat oil again and sauté the chili peppers, scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant. Add salt and stir-fry until cooked. Then add the snail meat and stir-fry evenly.
"It's done cooking. Xiao Lei, go get some rice. I'll stir-fry some vegetables too."
Wei Yuyan added a little more lard, and the bok choy was ready to serve after stir-frying for a minute or two.
"Wow, the snail meat smells so good today, I want to eat two bowls of rice."
Wu Qian looked at the spicy stir-fried snails on the table and swallowed hard.
"Let's eat."
Wei Yuyan took out a spoon, otherwise the snail meat would be difficult to pick up.
"It's so delicious. Once my sister-in-law's foot is healed, I'll go to the pond to collect snails too."
Wei Yuyan still wants to eat snails, so she'll stir-fry them again next time she catches some herself.
"Village chief! Village chief! Good news! Good news!"
The village chief's wife had just put the food on the table when she heard the matchmaker's voice and immediately and quickly took a plate of fried tofu back to the kitchen.
When the matchmaker came in, she only saw two vegetarian dishes on the table and frowned. How could the village chief's family be so poor?
"Oh dear, it's the matchmaker! What good news did you just say?"
The village chief's wife calmly walked out of the kitchen.
“Where is Cuifang? Where is the village chief? This matter needs to be discussed with your whole family.”
The matchmaker plopped down, it seemed she had no choice but to eat this meal.
"Cuifang, husband, come out and eat quickly."
The village chief was watching the vegetable garden in the back, while Cuifang was embroidering a handkerchief in her room. When she was called out and saw the matchmaker, she didn't show any displeasure.
"Matchmaker, I haven't been to the market lately, so there aren't many good dishes. Just make do with this."
The village chief's wife placed a bowl in front of the matchmaker. Inside the bowl was a large flatbread; today's meal was a two-in-one flatbread.
"It's alright. Just remember to call me next time you have something good to eat. I'm here today to talk about serious business."
The matchmaker kept everyone in suspense.
"Oh, is it possible that the family in that town has taken a liking to our Cuifang?"
The village chief's wife quickly chimed in.
"Of course, it doesn't matter who's in charge."
The matchmaker was as proud as a rooster.
"Matchmaker, wait a minute. The old hen at home laid an egg today. I'll make you a poached egg."
The village chief's wife was so happy that she stood up and went to the kitchen.
"Oh, sister-in-law, you're too kind. I haven't finished speaking yet."
The matchmaker was very satisfied with the village chief's wife's behavior.
Before long, the hot poached egg was ready. The village chief's wife brought out the poached egg, and sure enough, there was only one in the bowl.
"Matchmaker, come on, you've worked hard."
The village chief's wife looks completely different now.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, let's eat. After we finish eating, I'll tell you."
The matchmaker's mouth watered as she looked at the golden-brown fried eggs.
Liu Cuifang looked at the tempting fried eggs, but felt somewhat dissatisfied.
She had nothing to eat herself, but then she thought of that rich kid in town and decided to just bear with it.
“Village chief, sister-in-law, Cuifang, today I went to Mr. Zhang’s house in town and told them about your family’s situation. They were not very happy when they heard that Cuifang had never been to school.”
But with my silver tongue, Madam Zhang and Master Zhang thought it was acceptable and that I could meet him.
The matchmaker's words made the village chief's wife feel uneasy, but Cuifang was alright.
She was still thinking about Wu Chen, and if it weren't for the matchmaker saying that the young master Zhang in this town had no worries about food and clothing, she wouldn't have considered it.
"That's good, that's good. Where shall we meet? Will you come to our house?"
The village chief's wife stood up excitedly.
"Let's do it at your place, see which day is suitable, the day after tomorrow or the day after that."
The matchmaker felt the sooner the better, but there was still some pressure tomorrow, and there wasn't enough time to prepare.
"The day after tomorrow, let's do it the day after tomorrow."
The village chief's wife was thinking that she could buy some rouge for her daughter to dress up tomorrow.
"Village chief, what do you think?"
The matchmaker thought that since the village chief was the head of the family, she should ask for his opinion.
"I think it would be better to wait until the day after tomorrow, so that we can prepare the dishes in advance when the guests arrive."
On the other hand, it would seem like we were rushing things if it were too early, and a young lady shouldn't appear too frivolous.
The village chief had been silent the whole time, wondering if they would even be interested in our family.
"The village chief's consideration is correct. Let's agree on this then. Come the day after tomorrow morning. I'll go to town tomorrow to inform the Zhang family."
To save face for the village chief, the matchmaker adopted his suggestion. With the matter settled, she was ready to leave.
"Oh, right, there's something I forgot to tell you, Cuifang, you said the other day that Wu Chen's wife was going to remarry."
"Did you hear me wrong? I went to her house yesterday, and you have no idea how they treated me."
The matchmaker was furious when she recalled yesterday, but judging from Wei Yuyan's tone yesterday...
It seemed that she hadn't really shown any intention to remarry, so she began to wonder if Liu Cuifang had misheard.
"Matchmaker, is it because the second son of the Wu family is making things difficult for you? Wu Chen's wife told me before that her brother-in-law wouldn't let her leave."
Liu Cuifang remembered that Wei Yuyan had told her before that her brother-in-law did not agree to her leaving, and guessed that Wu Lei might have kicked her out.
"That's true. Anyway, I'm never going to associate with this family again. They're born of a mother but raised without one, and they have no manners whatsoever. Okay, that's all for now, I'm leaving."
The matchmaker was too embarrassed to admit that she had been splashed with water by a little brat yesterday; that would be too shameful.
"Matchmaker, please take care. We'll need your help that day. If things go well, you'll definitely get your share of the benefits."
The village chief's wife delivered flowers to the matchmaker at the door, while also making empty promises.
"Haha, with my sister-in-law's words, I'm going to do everything I can to help Cuifang find such a good family."
The matchmaker left happily.
"Cuifang, did you hear that? The matchmaking is the day after tomorrow. Go to the rouge shop in town tomorrow and buy some rouge."
"I must wear that new dress I had made last autumn the day after tomorrow and win over that young master, otherwise I'll never meet someone as good as him again."
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