Chapter 9 Are you unwilling to marry me?
The few acres of wheat that Yu Laoqi's family had been anxiously waiting for were finally harvested, and Yu Chengfu and Deng Sanniang were finally able to catch their breath. After resting for a day, Yu Chengfu thought that he should go to the Pei family. What Aman said last time made sense, but this time, thanks to Erlang, the Pei family had sent so many local products. No matter what, he should go and express his gratitude.
After the family discussed it the day before, the next morning, Yu Chengfu changed into his cleanest, slightly worn jacket. Deng Sanniang also carefully combed her hair, wiped Xiuxiu's face, and changed her into the new clothes she had made for her. Yu Man wore her usual plain blue dress, without many embellishments, but neat and tidy. The family of four carried a basket of eggs that Deng Sanniang had specially saved up and a large piece of cured meat from last year. They also wrapped two pieces of brightly colored fine cotton cloth that they themselves were reluctant to use, intending to give them to Pei's mother. After packing, the family of four headed towards Pei's house at the east end of the village. Along the way, they inevitably encountered villagers. Deng Sanniang smiled broadly, telling everyone she met that they were going to Pei's house.
After walking for a while, they saw the Pei family's courtyard. As expected of a house specially built by the village chief, it was noticeably more spacious and tidy than the Yu family's. The three brick and tile houses, though not luxurious, were sturdy and clean. The courtyard walls were neatly constructed, and an old locust tree in the corner was lush and verdant. Most striking was the row of vegetable patches along the east wall, where various seasonal vegetables grew lush and green, clearly carefully tended. Pei's mother was busy working in the vegetable patch. Seeing them arrive, she quickly straightened up, wiped her hands on her apron, and warmly greeted them. She was a capable and efficient woman with an almond-shaped face and kind eyes, though her right leg seemed slightly unsteady when she walked.
"Oh dear, you've come all this way, why did you bring so much stuff!" Mother Pei said reproachfully, but her face was full of smiles.
Deng Sanniang asked with concern, "Sister-in-law, how are your legs feeling after Erlang applied the herbal medicine I had you a few days ago? That prescription was passed down from my family and it's most effective for chronic leg pain."
Upon hearing this, Madam Pei's smile deepened, and she took Deng San Niang's hand, saying repeatedly, "It works really well! After applying it three or four times, the tingling, cold pain in my knee has lessened considerably! San Niang, it's all thanks to you for remembering me!"
"It's good that it works. I'll bring you some more when I go back to my parents' home." Deng Sanniang was happy to see that the other party appreciated her kindness.
"Come in and sit down! Ah Man is here too. Is she feeling much better?" Pei's mother looked at Yu Man and asked with concern when she saw that she had obviously lost some weight.
"Alright, alright, thank you for your concern, sister-in-law." Deng Sanniang replied with a smile, handing over the basket. "These are eggs from our own chickens, to help Erlang recover."
"Oh, you're too kind! Come in, his father is inside." Mother Pei took the basket and led them towards the main room.
The Pei family's main room was much brighter than the Yu family's. Although the tables and chairs were old, they were spotless. A bookshelf stood against the wall, neatly stacked with books, exuding the air of a scholarly family. Pei Ji's father, Pei Mingyuan, was sitting in a chair by the window reading. Upon seeing the guests enter, he put down his book and stood up. He wore a faded blue cloth robe, was slender, had a refined face, and sported a long beard with three wisps of hair. His eyes were gentle yet carried the unique integrity and slight aloofness of a scholar.
"Brother Chengfu has arrived, please have a seat." Pei's father's voice was not loud, but clear and steady. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Yu Chengfu about the harvest and everyday matters, his attitude was polite, and he did not have the arrogance that scholars usually show to farmers.
Yu Chengfu explained that his visit was to express his gratitude for Pei Ji's care in the past few days.
Pei's father stroked his beard and explained in a calm tone, "Brother Chengfu, you're too kind. It's only right for neighbors to help each other out. It's just unfortunate that Guanzhen was invited to the village school by the village chief early this morning. The original teacher had some family matters to attend to and asked for a few days off. The village chief thought that Guanzhen was quite knowledgeable, so he temporarily asked him to go and teach the village children for a few days to prevent them from neglecting their studies."
His words were spoken naturally, yet they subtly revealed Pei Ji's status and level of recognition in the village. A young scholar who could replace a teacher in instructing village children naturally had a promising future.
Upon hearing this, Yu Chengfu naturally followed suit and praised him.
The two chatted, the topic gradually shifting from the mischievousness of the village school children to this year's harvest and taxes. Pei's father's gaze occasionally fell on Yu Man, and seeing that she remained quiet, he said, "Man'er, I heard that a few days ago you took the village children up the mountain to find some wild things, and you prepared them quite well?"
Knowing that he couldn't escape today, Yu Man raised his head to meet Pei's father's gaze and replied, "Yes, Uncle Pei. I just happened to recognize a few edible things and ate whatever I could find to fill my stomach."
Pei's father nodded slightly, but a barely perceptible hint of regret flashed in his eyes: "Yes, it's good that you know how to utilize the resources of the mountains and marshes. A farmer's daughter who can manage a household is virtuous. However..." He changed the subject again, his voice becoming more subdued, "I've also heard Guanzhen mention that you seem to know some herbs and can negotiate prices with the clinic owner clearly and confidently. If you were a man, you might be able to pursue a future through poetry and books. Even if you are a woman, if you could use this intelligence more on needlework or proper household management, it would be more beneficial to yourself and your family in the future. The pleasures of the mountains and fields are fine to indulge in occasionally, but they are ultimately not a woman's 'proper profession'."
His words were quite subtle. He did not accuse Yu Man of misconduct or tarnished reputation. Instead, he spoke in the tone of an elder examining the future of a junior, pointing out what he considered to be Yu Man's "shortcomings"—that Yu Man was talented but not using his talents in the right way.
In the eyes of this traditional scholar, a woman's talent and wisdom should be reflected in being a good wife and mother, and in managing the household frugally, rather than in these seemingly "ingenious" matters of the countryside and bargaining in the marketplace. He felt that Yu Man had some "cleverness" but lacked the "dignity" and "duty" that a lady from a respectable family should have.
To be honest, her father's admonitory words didn't leave much of a mark on Yu Man's heart. She wasn't a typical ancient person to begin with. To her, being able to identify mountain produce to fill their stomachs and exchange medicinal herbs for money to supplement the family income and make her family live more comfortably was the most practical thing to do as a "proper woman." As for the rules and regulations about how a woman should behave, she listened to them but didn't take them to heart.
However, Madam Pei, keenly aware of the subtle shift in the atmosphere, quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile. She first gave her husband a reproachful look: "Oh dear, why are you lecturing the children with all this grand principles? It's a good thing that Aman is clever and knowledgeable!" Then, she affectionately took Deng San Niang's hand and gave Yu Man a loving smile, "Brother Chengfu, you go chat with my bookworm about your studies. San Niang, Aman, Xiuxiu, come on, let's go to the inner room and have a chat. I just got some new designs; I'll show them to you."
She half-pushed and half-pulled, leading the still somewhat uneasy Deng San Niang and Xiu Xiu into the side room next door.
Upon entering the inner room, Yu Man skillfully moved to a low couch covered with an old bamboo mat near the window in the main room. This couch was usually used by Pei Ji for afternoon naps or reading. Outside the window, the dense green shade of the old locust tree blocked the afternoon heat and cast cool shadows. She let out a soft sigh, preparing to lean against the window frame and take a nap.
Unexpectedly, she had actually fallen asleep. Seeing this, Madam Pei gestured to Deng San Niang not to wake her, and quietly led her and Xiu Xiu, saying they were going to the backyard to see the newly grown fruits. Father Pei and Yu Chengfu also went to the study to appreciate an old inkstone. The main room gradually quieted down.
Yu Man didn't sleep soundly. In her hazy state, she felt a gentle breeze brush against her cheek, dispelling the stickiness. She slowly opened her eyes, and what came into view was the sky outside the window, dyed red, with the sun about to disappear behind the mountains.
Her gaze shifted slightly, and she suddenly froze.
The person guarding the low couch wasn't Aunt Deng or the others as expected, but Pei Ji, who had returned sometime earlier. He sat sideways on a stool beside the couch, his figure upright, still wearing that blue robe, only now the outer robe was removed, making him appear even more handsome. He held a large palm-leaf fan in his hand, slowly and deliberately waving it towards her, bringing a cool breeze. His gaze fell on her face, deep and unfathomable, and when he saw that she was awake, the movement of his fan paused slightly.
"Did I wake you up?" His voice was lower than usual.
Yu Man shook her head and sat up, propping herself up: "No, I woke up on my own."
Pei Ji followed her gaze to the window, then looked back at her before speaking, "I heard some of what my father said from my mother when I came back. He's always been old-fashioned, so please don't take any of his words to heart."
Yu Man turned her head back. She knew that in ancient times, one could not judge one's elders. This person was learning etiquette and speaking rebellious words. She shook her head: "What Uncle Pei said is also reasonable. I didn't take it to heart." She really didn't care. Pei's father's standards could not restrain her.
After saying that, she continued to look out the window, and it had been a long time since she had seen such a beautiful sunset.
However, seeing her like this, Pei Ji unexpectedly did not laugh. His hand holding the palm-leaf fan stopped, and he lowered his eyes to hide his thoughts.
Only when the afterglow completely disappeared did Yu Man realize that Pei Ji hadn't spoken for a long time, so she turned to look at him.
Why aren't you saying anything?
In the dimly lit room, his skin glowed with a jade-like luster, and his pupils were pale. Whenever his emotions fluctuated, they would slightly contract, as if stripping away his usual gentle appearance and wanting to devour the person in his eyes, making him appear somewhat sickly.
He stared intently at Yu Man's face, his gaze locked onto her like a physical object, his voice low and carrying an almost dangerous calm:
"Xiaoman, do you not want to marry me?"
No one knows how he meticulously planned to secure this marriage. He knew she liked good-looking men, so he seduce her little by little; knowing she disliked trouble, he wouldn't let anyone ruin the engagement.
He can't live without her, and it has been like that for a long time.
But at this moment, looking at her calm and expressionless face, and hearing her say "I didn't take it to heart," a possessiveness mixed with unease and gloom tightened around his heart like a dodder vine.
A note from the author:
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