Ma Erli buried his head, his originally straight back half bent, hunched over, and leaning against the door railing, perhaps because he was tired or afraid.
"I...my eldest brother said that after the house is built, it will be given to you and the baby to live in."
"Give it to us?" Lin Jiafeng stared at him suspiciously and asked, "What about you? Don't you live with us?"
She didn't really care whether it was given to them or not. She had gotten along well with the Ma Sanyue sisters these days and knew that this area was the territory of the Ma family.
In a place like this with a strong clan culture, which is the exclusive territory of the Ma family, it would be difficult for her, a woman from another family, to gain any benefits.
What she cares about now is whether he will move in with them.
If he lived with them, they would be a family.
If he didn't go, that would be another matter.
When Ma Erli heard her ask again, he knew that she was going to get to the bottom of it.
"My eldest brother said that only you and the baby can live there... I have to stay at home."
Lin Jiafeng was stunned for a moment, and tears immediately fell down.
"I never thought... that you would change your mind so quickly... It's only been a short time. Have you forgotten what you told me in the mountains? This is not my place at all. If you hadn't said you would take care of us mother and daughter for the rest of our lives, I wouldn't have come to Yucheng with you."
Ma Erli was in great embarrassment and whispered, "I...I didn't forget. I will still take care of you and the baby - you don't have to worry about that."
"Then you won't marry me?" Lin Jiafeng stared at him with tears in her eyes and asked, "You said you would marry me... and take care of us for the rest of our lives. Erli, are you going to break your promise?"
Ma Erli lowered his head again, not daring to answer.
Lin Jiafeng cried very sadly: "I know... I only went to elementary school, and my education level is not comparable to yours. But my family is not all poor, my father used to be a teacher in our village. I have been married before, and I have been with my baby's father... Do your family think that I am not worthy of you? Do they?"
"No." Ma Erli shook his head quickly: "My eldest brother was against it because he felt we were not suitable."
It was not a momentary impulse that he agreed to take care of the mother and daughter. His good brother unfortunately passed away while trying to save him, and his wife and children would definitely take good care of him.
But the eldest brother said that there was no need for him to sacrifice his life's happiness in order to repay the favor.
My eldest brother said that she is still young, only in her twenties, and there is no need for her to live with a man who has no feelings for her. She can pursue her own happiness in the future.
Lin Jiafeng sobbed continuously: "What are you talking about? It's nothing more than that you think I'm not worthy of you. Your eldest brother looks polite on the surface, but in fact he doesn't treat me as his own. Why should he be so polite!"
"No." Ma Erli hurriedly explained: "My eldest brother doesn't think so. What's the point of being worthy or not? I - I'm just a poor boy and I can't give you anything. This house was left by my parents, and I can't even build a house to shelter you from the wind and rain! How can I give you happiness! I agreed impulsively at the time -"
"You regret it now, don't you?" Lin Jiafeng interrupted him and asked, "Really? Really?"
Ma Erli was stunned, blinking and dodging.
"I-I don't regret it. I will take care of you and the baby for the rest of your life, and I will never break my promise. But my eldest brother said that we don't need to... we don't need to get married."
Lin Jiafeng quickly wiped the tears from her face and asked, "A widow is always surrounded by gossip. You are a nameless person, and you come to take care of us - how will others see you? How will others see me?"
Seeing that the matter had already been brought out, Ma Erli simply spoke out all at once.
"My eldest brother said that we are not suitable. He said that after the two houses are built, they will be given to you and your baby to live in. As long as we have something to eat in the future, we will not let you go short of food. My eldest brother also said that you can find a good man to remarry in the future, and the houses will be yours."
"A good man?" Lin Jiafeng asked angrily, "Where can I find a good man? Ma Erli! You don't keep your word! You clearly said you would marry me! You said it! Are you a man? You don't keep your word!"
Ma Erli was scolded so badly that he had nowhere to hide. He hesitated, "I...but my elder brother really doesn't agree!"
Lin Jiafeng said coldly: "He is your elder brother, not your father. If he disagrees, he will make you betray your trust and become an ungrateful man!"
"You--you can't say that about my elder brother!" Ma Erli got excited and argued: "My elder brother didn't mean that! He told me to be good to you and take care of you and the baby. It's just that he thinks there's no need for us to get married! I lost my parents when I was a few years old, and it was my elder brother who brought us up. An elder brother is like a father, and in my heart he is almost like my dad."
When Lin Jiafeng saw that he started to cry loudly, she calmed down and continued to cry softly.
"He's your elder brother, so you have to listen to him? How can you be so indecisive? You clearly agreed to it in the beginning."
Ma Erli hesitated: "I... I have to listen to my eldest brother. I can't give you anything now. Forget about other things. The food and drinks at home and the house we just built were all paid for by my eldest brother."
"I don't want anything from you." Lin Jiafeng whispered affectionately, "I didn't want anything from you from the beginning. You don't need to be rich or powerful, or have a big house, you just need to be good to me and my baby."
Ma Erli was in great pain and whispered, "I know you don't want anything from me, and I don't have anything good for you to want. I...I will be good to you and the baby, but in a different way."
"What method?" Lin Jiafeng asked in a low voice, choking with sobs: "After all, you still don't want to marry me and give me a legitimate identity, right?"
Ma Erli shook his head: "My eldest brother said... No. Ah Feng, I won't break my promise. I will still take care of you and your baby for the rest of your life! Really!"
“For a lifetime?” Lin Jiafeng cried uncontrollably, murmuring, “It’s only been a short time since I came here, and you’ve already broken your promise. How can I trust you for a lifetime? If I want to blame someone, I should blame my own miserable life… Why is my life so miserable… Wuuuuu!”
Ma Erli was very anxious and advised: "Ah Feng, don't cry. I...I...we will take a long-term view on this matter. You don't have to be sad. When the house is built, I will find a job to support you and the baby after the New Year."
"You don't want me anymore." Lin Jiafeng choked up, "There's no point for me to stay here. Don't worry, Baby and I won't be a burden to you. Buy us tickets. Baby and I are going to Chaocheng."
“No, no, no!” Ma Erli quickly shook his head: “I—I don’t want you! I will still take good care of you and the baby!”
"Stop talking." Lin Jiafeng threw the pants in his hand to him and said in a deep voice: "If you don't want me, I won't stay here. Go buy the ticket tomorrow."
"Ah Feng, don't be like this." Ma Erli was helpless and held his pants, anxiously saying, "If you don't stay here, where else can you go?"
Lin Jiafeng turned her face away and choked up, "Where else can I go? I'll go back to where I came from. If my parents' home really can't accommodate me, then I'll take the baby up the mountain... and die with her father. The three of us will reunite in the underworld."
"What are you talking about!" Ma Erli was sweating profusely and advised, "Don't be like this. Stay with the baby first. I-we have something to discuss."
"There's nothing to discuss." Lin Jiafeng said in a deep voice: "If you don't want us, we won't stay here. Although I'm not a city lady, I'm also a woman with ambition. If you don't want me, then I will definitely not stay in your place."
After saying this, she turned and went into the inner room.
Ma Erli was so anxious that he almost stamped his feet. He wanted to go closer, but he saw that she had already pulled down the floral curtain, so he was embarrassed to go in.
He shouted a few times outside, but Lin Jiafeng ignored him.
Ma Erli scratched his short hair in annoyance. Without even bothering to take a shower, he threw his pants on his wooden bed, turned around and ran out to find his elder brother.
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