Chapter 43

“Are you here to talk about a marriage proposal for Xiao Di? That’s a good thing, good, good.” Shen Mo then continued to ask: “I wonder which family asked you to be the matchmaker? Is it someone from our village or another one?”

The matchmaker Li smiled and replied, “Of course, it’s from our village. Given how wealthy your family is nowadays, no family in our village could possibly compete, let alone a family from a neighboring village.”

This comment caused Shen Mo to furrow his brows slightly.

Zhou Jing who was thinking deeper, couldn’t help but feel suspicious about Matchmaker Li’s words.

They sounded similar to how people spoke about Shen Lin, implying that what was truly admired was the Zhou family’s lineage.

“This family that asked me to come on their behalf will surprise you; they are absolutely a perfect match for your Shen Lin. That man is quite handsome, tall, and strong, and he works hard. His mother-in-law is also a diligent person. If Shen Lin marries into that family, he will live in comfort,” Matchmaker Li said.

Having spent years matchmaking, Matchmaker Li was known for her ability to spin tales, and her words piqued Shen Mo’s curiosity about which family in the village had such a fine, suitable man that he had not noticed.

After keeping Shen Mo’s interest piqued, Matchmaker Li finally revealed, “It’s Wang Dali of Wangjia Village. He’s Aunt Shen’s son.”

“Oh, it’s him.” Shen Mo said, instantly losing interest.

Wang Dali wasn’t bad, but he was just an ordinary villager. He was hardworking, perhaps even too hard, but he lacked cleverness and had only brute strength, which was not even half of what Zhou Jing possessed.

Now, apart from Zhou Jing, no other man could catch Shen Mo’s eye.

Having been a matchmaker for so many years, Li could certainly see that Shen Mo was not impressed by Wang Dali.

Internally, she scoffed, thinking to herself that he was just a mere her; if it weren’t for his family having a little bit of money, Wang Dali might not even consider marrying Shen Lim.

Now, with a perfectly capable and good-natured man wanting to marry a ger, it was absurd for anyone to be picky.

Regardless of her thoughts, Matchmaker Li still praised Shen Lin.

Matchmaker Li explained: “Wang Dali worked alongside your Shen Lin for a couple of days, so he knows that Shen Lin is just as hardworking and is willing to fulfill his desires.

He only made one small request regarding offspring. Of course, Wang Dali’s intention is that if Shen Lin has a son, it will naturally carry his surname, which would please everyone.

But if he couldn’t give birth, it wouldn’t be fair to let a man’s family line die out.”

Now, Zhou Jing also frowned, he then coldly asked, “What does that mean? My little brother-in-law hasn’t even married into Wang Dali’s family yet, and he’s already thinking about children?”

“It’s not about having children; it’s about having a secondary wife.” Matchmaker Li murmured quietly, not daring to say it loudly.

When Aunt Shen first mentioned this to her, she thought it was quite normal; after all, it was just a commoner, and if she couldn’t bear a son, they couldn’t let a man’s family line end.

But for some reason, Zhou Jing’s question made her feel uneasy, and she couldn’t say it with confidence. “After all… we can’t let them have their lineage die out.”

Shen Mo was about to speak when Shen Lin walked in, and it was unclear how much he had overheard. His expression remained calm, without any major fluctuations.

Shen Lin spoke to Matchmaker Li. “Auntie, your words are quite strange. There’s one thing I don’t understand. You say he’s willing to fulfill my wishes; I just want to ask, what exactly does he want to fulfill? I’m unaware of any desires I have that needed to be fulfilled by him.”

Zhou Jing was so angry that he laughed, interrupting Matchmaker Li, “Enough! You don’t need to say anymore. I can tell you right now that I do not agree with this marriage proposal. Not only do I disagree, but my husband also disagrees, and my brother-in-law himself does not agree either. Not a single person in the Zhou family is in favor of this.”

“How can this be? Clearly, Shen Lin… didn’t you help him create opportunities to be alone with Wang Dali…” Matchmaker Li stammered, confused by the sudden shift in the conversation.

‘

“I don’t know how you came to that conclusion, or if Wang Dali and his mother said something to you.

But there’s one thing I must clarify for you, and I ask that you pass this along to that mother and son: they need to recognize their own place.

The reason our Zhou family hired a worker is that we genuinely need the manpower.

As for why we chose Wang Dali instead of someone else, there are two reasons.

The first and most important is that my husband said that when he and his brother were living a miserable life, Aunt Shen never bullied them with her words or actions. In fact, sometimes when she saw my husband being bullied, she even helped him teach those bullies a lesson. Although this may seem trivial, it has always remained in my husband’s heart.”

“The second reason is that my husband feels sympathy for Aunt Shen, who was raising a son on her own. He knows that it is not easy for Aunt Shen, so he wants to help her. As for why I chose to ask Wang Dali for help, that is purely my own decision and has nothing to do with my husband or my brother-in-law.

At that time, I considered that Aunt Shen’s family had already signed a long-term contract with ours; it’s a mutually dependent relationship, where we rise and fall together.

Even taking that into account, having him come to our home to help would mean he would be more dedicated than anyone else.”

“What! How can this be?” Matchmaker Li could hardly believe it; this version was completely different from what Wang Dali and his mother had told her.

She shook her head and said: “That’s not right. Wang Dali and his mother didn’t say anything like that to me. They insisted that Shen Lin was the one who took a liking to their Wang Dali first.

Due to the nature of being a ger, he felt too shy to admit it directly, so he went to great lengths to find ways to get close to Wang Dali.

They even claimed that the two boys had an unspoken agreement. They both consented, and all I had to do was go through the process.”

Shen Lin finally realized that the vague and ambiguous look Wang Dali had given him that morning actually meant something like this.

Zhou Jing chuckled twice and bluntly retorted, “If we’re being honest, I have no idea how my brother-in-law could take a liking to Wang Dali, and why he would even be considered worthy!”

“He’s a man, while your Shen Lin is just a ger…”

“So, what if he’s a ger? Even if he is, my brother-in-law would still be able to casually pick and choose who he wants to marry.” Zhou Jing said, lifting his eyes in a haughty manner.

The slight curl of his lips perfectly conveyed his disdain.

Zhou Jing: “Matchmaker Li must not have heard about the conditions for my Xiao Di to marry into our family, We’ll provide a house and land, but it won’t be the same as the one my husband and I live in; it will be a completely separate household. However, it will definitely match the quality of our current home, so that’s not an issue.

As for the betrothal gifts, my family is offering 10 silver coins. I remember that the highest betrothal gifts for girls from wealthy families in the village are only about 5 silver coins, yet we are offering 10 silver coins for a married man.

Additionally, for the groom’s wedding gifts, we’ll match what is typically given to a wife.

I recall that the best wedding gifts in the village include a pair of chickens, a pair of ducks, a pair of fish, 50 catties of pork, 2 meters of cotton cloth, a pair of jewelry, and 5 catties each of candy and pastries.

Those are roughly the items I remember, but I could be mistaken. However, if my family were to invite a man to marry in, the wedding gifts would only be more generous, never less.”

Matchmaker Li sat on her stool, gasping in disbelief. My goodness, what kind of conditions were these?

Such a hefty bride price!

No one in the village could come up with that kind of money. The last time something like this happened was when a poor family sent their daughter, in her prime at 17 or 18, to the town to be a concubine for an old man in his 50s or 60s.

That occasion had been remembered throughout the ten-mile radius. Whenever a family had a son or daughter getting married, they would eagerly talk about it, for it was unlikely that such a thing would happen again.

Not only was Matchmaker Li stunned, but Shen Mo and Shen Lin were also taken aback.

Zhou Jing had never told them about this arrangement.

Shen Lin couldn’t tell if his big brother-in-law was just trying to put Matchmaker Li in her place with a casual remark or if he genuinely meant it.

In fact, given the Zhou family’s current financial situation, it seemed like a tall tale.

However, if they could secure a few shops in town to sell sausages and duck products, then all of it wouldn’t be an exaggeration but rather a piece of cake.

But that wasn’t all. Zhou Jing added casually, “Oh, I almost forgot to mention, this is just the small part; the real catch is that my family’s business in town, my little brother-in-law owns 30% of the profit.”

“30%, how much silver is that?!”

Zhou Jing looked at the matchmaker Li with a smile that was not quite a smile. “You’ve asked about this already, haven’t you? But one thing is certain: compared to the lavish betrothal gifts we’ve seen before, it’s just a drop in the bucket. It’s hardly anything.”

Matchmaker Li couldn’t help but think that if those extravagant sums were just a drop in the bucket, then she didn’t dare to imagine the kind of wealth they were dealing with.

The thought made her heart flutter, and she wanted to ask if they could wait for another two years.

After all, in just two years, the youngest son of their family would turn 16, and he would be eligible to marry and be brought into the family.

Suddenly, Zhou Jing changed the subject. “So, I really wonder what’s so special about Wang Dali from Aunt She’s family that makes her think my brother-in-law would be interested in him!”

“Not interested, not interested…” Matchmaker Li shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum.

Previously, he had thought that Shen Lin, as a ger, marrying a man like Wang Dali was already a blessing earned from a past life.

But now, with these new conditions, Matchmaker Li couldn’t help but feel that Wang Dali lacked the qualities to be worthy of Shen Lin.

“So how could Wang Dali and his mother think that Xiao Di would actually have a secret admiration for him? With Xiao Di’s conditions, being able to earn a living and support a family, Wang Dali is not good enough for my brother-in-law.”

“Of course, of course.” Matchmaker Li nodded repeatedly, having completely stopped underestimating the Zhou family’s financial power.

Now, in her eyes, the Zhou family had become a large piece of fat meat, and she was secretly pondering whether there were any suitable young men among her own relatives so she could rush over to propose a match.

With conditions like those of the Zhou family, they hadn’t yet publicly announced anything; once they did, there would likely be a line outside their door, and she feared she might not be able to secure a place in it.

Zhou Jing stood up and said, “In that case, I’ll see you out. Please take care, Matchmaker Li.”

“Ah?” Matchmaker Li was momentarily stunned and then asked, “Aren’t you going to keep me for dumplings? I thought you had promised.”

The previously silent Shen Mo suddenly spoke up: “Don’t keep her. I’m very angry. How could Matchmaker Li think that Xiao Di would be interested in Wang Dali and even have a secret admiration for him?

Wang Dali has no money and no ability, just guarding a rundown house and a small plot of land.

What gives him the right to have such a big face? And how could Matchmaker Li think he has such a big face?

This is clearly looking down on Xiao Di and our Zhou family. So, I won’t entertain her. If Matchmaker Li has any complaints, she can take them up with the person who sent her here. I’ll see you out.”

“I… Hey, wait! I didn’t know your family was offering such conditions for Shen Lin. If I had known, I definitely wouldn’t have come to propose this match.” Matchmaker Li said as Shen Mo escorted her out—however, the Zhou family’s door slammed shut in front of her.

Matchmaker Li was so angry that she stomped her feet. “What a disaster! It was a good deal, so how did it turn out like this? The pork dumplings made with fine flour are gone just like that.”

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she muttered under her breath.

“It’s all that Wang Dali and his mother’s fault! I don’t know where they got the audacity to think that Shen Lin could look at him. With the conditions, the Zhou family offered for Shen Lin, what kind of fine young man couldn’t be found? And they think he’s secretly admired? Bah! Shameless!” Matchmaker Li cursed as she wiggled her way into Aunt Shen’s house.

Aunt Shen saw Matchmaker Li and eagerly asked, “So, has it been settled? Is the Zhou family very agreeable? Shen Lin must be over the moon about it, right? What did Shen Mo say? Did he promise to bring a dowry for Shen Lin?”

Matchmaker Li snorted coldly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “What do you think the Zhou family would give as a dowry for Shen Lin?”

Aunt Shen actually took a moment to think seriously about it. “At the very least, the dowry money shouldn’t be too stingy; we have to bring something back. All the girls in the village get quilts, so his family should at least provide a few sets, and…”

Matchmaker Li cut her off, annoyed. “Mrs. Shen, there’s no need to go on. Let me tell you, they haven’t agreed at all.”

Aunt Shen stated with unwavering determination, “Impossible! How could they not agree? It’s my family’s Wang Dali who proposed. Besides, my family is willing to offer a silver coin as a betrothal gift. A silver coin is quite a lot; which family would be willing to pay such a high price for a ger?”

“Ha, just one silver coin. Do you really think that’s a lot? It can’t even compare to 10 silver coins.

Let me tell you the truth: Shen Lin has never looked at your Wang Dali at all, and the Zhou family has never regarded him with any interest.

What you mentioned about making clothes for you and signing a long-term contract is merely because Shen Mo is kind-hearted.

It was out of gratitude for the good words you had done for him in the past. He sympathized with you—for you being a widow and an orphan, so he wanted to lend you a hand.

As for the other things, any thoughts of interest regarding your son are purely fantasies created by you two. It’s nothing but self-delusion!”

“This is impossible! My son said Shen Lin definitely has feelings for him; otherwise, he wouldn’t act that way, He had always been so accommodating with my son.”

“That’s because, during that time, the Zhou family really needed help. Considering your contract with them and knowing you would put in your best effort; they asked your son to work for them.”

Matchmaker Li continued to speak disdainfully. “Do you really think your son is some kind of nobleman that everyone would want to marry? Or do you still believe that a silver coin is a lot of money, enough to buy a house and land?”

“Zhou Jing himself said that their family wants to find a man who will marry into Shen Lin’s family.

They are buying a house and land for their husband, and the house will be comparable to theirs.

On top of that, they are offering 10 silver coins as a bride price, with a list of betrothal gifts that surpasses what was given when a concubine was married off in the village.

None of that is what really matters; what’s valuable is that Shen Lin holds 30% of the Zhou family’s business profits—that’s the real prize. Compared to that, everything else is just a drop in the bucket.

So I ask you, with conditions like these, why on earth would Shen Lin look at your Wang Dali?

What is your Wang Dali? He’s average-looking at best, and he’s not even smart. I really don’t understand how you two could think that someone’s goodwill is some kind of hidden agenda.

Even self-deception has its limits. You’ve ruined my chance for a delicious meal of white flour pork dumplings!

Those were dumplings made with white flour! My family hasn’t had white flour dumplings even during the New Year.” Matchmaker Li fumed more with each thought.

The Zhou family’s dumplings were sure to be filled with ample meat, as they were known for their meat dishes.

Aunt Shen was completely stunned, staring blankly at her son, while Wang Dali, too, was taken aback, his face flushed red.

If it were just based on Shen Lin himself, considering the village’s customs, he would certainly be deemed unworthy of Wang Dali; others would think Shen Lin had struck it rich.

After all, the status of a ger held little weight, and the customs favored females over gers.

However, once those conditions were added regarding Shen Lin, his value became incomparable, and Wang Dali appeared wholly unworthy.

Aunt Shen truly hadn’t anticipated that Shen Lin, merely a husband’s younger brother, would not only be treated with respect in the Zhou family but that Zhou Jing would even be willing to offer such terms.

It was akin to a landlord providing conditions for his daughter to marry.

Suddenly, Aunt Shen came to her senses, slapping her thigh as she cried out: “Oh, son, what are we going to do? The Zhou family doesn’t have that intention, and Shen Lin doesn’t either. With all this commotion, aren’t we just making the Zhou family dislike us? Our business is likely at an end. With Zhou Jing’s temperament, he definitely won’t let us stir up trouble. It’s all over! We’ve only just started to have a good life, and why is it so difficult for us to live well?”

At that moment, Aunt Shen finally regained her clarity. Her sharp mind was no longer blindly focused on elevating her son.

Wang Dali squatted on the ground; his brows knitted in worry.

As he thought back, he found he couldn’t come up with any evidence that Shen Lin had ever shown any interest in him.

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Lucia: Finally they woke up! 💀

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