Chapter 4

Facing Qin Qingman’s smile, Zhu Hongxia paused for a moment before continuing, “Qingman, you’re already 20 years old, which is the right age to get married. Comrade Liu’s conditions are so good; if you miss this opportunity, it won’t come again. You should cherish it.”

“Second Aunt, my Chuchu is still young, and I haven’t planned to marry so early.”

Qin Qingman directly refused.

Zhu Hongxia froze again.

She hadn’t expected Qin Qingman to reject so decisively. This was very different from the Qin Qingman she used to know.

Having already offended several of her sisters-in-law, she had to gather herself and continue persuading.

“Qingman, look at you—so thin, you can’t carry anything, you can’t even lift a hand. If you don’t get married, who will you rely on to support Chuchu? You can’t even support yourself with those few labor points you earn. Otherwise, you and your brother wouldn’t be living so… so poorly after Eldest Brother’s wife passed away.”

Zhu Hongxia said the last part with real difficulty.

It had only been two months since they last met, but the once gaunt and yellow-faced siblings now looked as though they had eaten ginseng fruit.

Not only had they become fair and plump, but their complexion also looked healthy and vibrant.

Just thinking about how the siblings had recovered so quickly because of the food her family had lent them made Zhu Hongxia feel envious.

A sour expression filled her face.

Qin Qingman immediately saw the jealousy in Zhu Hongxia’s demeanor and smiled even more gently. “Second Aunt, I am fully aware of my family’s situation. Don’t just say nice things to persuade me. Chuchu is still so young, and I am his only family. I can’t just abandon him. In this situation, no one would want to marry a wife who’s carrying an extra burden.”

“You’re talking nonsense. Aren’t we all Chuchu’s family? If you marry, we’ll definitely take care of him. Chuchu is part of our Old Qin Family, and as long as we have something to eat, the child won’t go hungry.”

Zhu Hongxia rebutted Qin Qingman’s words.

Her promises were as easy as opening her mouth.

Having heard the full story, Chuchu had long since been clinging to Qin Qingman’s side, grasping the hem of her clothes with his small hand.

The child was extremely anxious.

He was worried about his sister getting married. After she married, he wouldn’t be able to live with her like he did now, and he wouldn’t be able to see her anytime he wanted. Just thinking about never seeing her again, tears filled the child’s eyes.

Qin Qingman sensed Chuchu’s emotions and, not wanting to continue dealing with Zhu Hongxia, she decisively dismissed her, saying, “Second Aunt, let me think about it.”

“Alright, think it over, but Comrade Liu’s family really has great conditions. If you marry him, just a little of what he has would be enough to support Chuchu. Plus, with our families helping out, Chuchu won’t go hungry.”

Seeing that Qin Qingman hadn’t completely shut her down, Zhu Hongxia hurriedly tried to persuade her again.

Qin Qingman looked at Zhu Hongxia with a cold sneer deep in her heart.

How could this person be so shameless as to say she would help Chuchu? When the original owner was still around, all these relatives who were supposed to be kin could watch them suffer without lifting a finger. If she really left this family, these people wouldn’t care about Chuchu’s life or death.

Qin Qingman’s eyes were very beautiful, clear and bright. Facing those eyes, Zhu Hongxia, who had ill intentions, felt immense pressure.

Zhu Hongxia knew it would be impossible to convince Qin Qingman in one go. She once again praised Liu Hechang heavily and left reluctantly.

Watching Zhu Hongxia’s retreating figure, Chuchu ran over with his short legs and slammed the door shut. He could feel that Second Aunt harbored ill intentions, though he had no evidence.

“Chuchu, don’t worry, I don’t plan to marry so soon.”

Qin Qingman reached out and gently ruffled Chuchu’s soft hair. The child had been eating better recently, and his hair had improved a lot, though it still wasn’t enough. They needed to eat more meat to make their bodies stronger.

“Sister, Second Aunt and them are bad.”

Chuchu originally didn’t want to speak ill of Zhu Hongxia and the other relatives in front of Qin Qingman, but out of fear of losing his only sister, he finally gathered the courage to say these words.

“I know.”

Qin Qingman lifted Chuchu up. The child’s body was soft and fragrant, and holding him felt wonderful.

It also felt very good to ruffle his hair.

Chuchu, seeing that Qin Qingman was not swayed by Zhu Hongxia, let out a sigh of relief. He then leaned on Qin Qingman’s shoulder, murmuring about how bad the aunts were. Despite his young age, he remembered clearly how they had treated the siblings.

As Qin Qingman listened to Chuchu’s muttering, she thought about how to resolve the matchmaking issue once and for all.

The Liu Hechang that Zhu Hongxia had mentioned today was the same man who had deceived the original owner into marrying him in the original storyline.

In that storyline, Zhu Hongxia and the others had concealed the facts that Liu Hechang had been married before, had four children, and was much older than the original owner—almost two full generations older. Additionally, the original owner had been timid and shy, and during their arranged marriage, she had been hurried into meeting Liu Hechang from afar without properly seeing him. Under the persuasion of several aunts, she had agreed to marry him without hesitation.

On the day of the wedding, she discovered all the facts, but by then, it was too late to regret. No matter how much she cried, it was all futile.

But the current Qin Qingman was not the original owner. She would not let the malicious Zhu Hongxia and others off so easily.

—o—o—o—

The next day, Qin Qingman took the initiative to visit Second Uncle’s house. Before she even entered, she heard laughter coming from the living room. From the sounds, it seemed that Third Aunt, Fourth Aunt, and possibly even the little aunt were all there.

When Qin Qingman faced her cousin Qin Caiyun, who had opened the gate, she smiled gently and thanked her.

“Sister Qingman.”

Qin Caiyun was fairly polite to Qin Qingman, and of course, she also reminded the people in the hall who the visitor was.

“Is Qingman here?”

At Qin Caiyun’s reminder, the heavy curtain at the front door was lifted, and Zhu Hongxia’s figure appeared.

“Second Aunt.”

Qin Qingman hesitated slightly as she looked at Zhu Hongxia.

Zhu Hongxia immediately guessed the reason for her hesitation. Dropping the curtain, she greeted Qin Qingman warmly, linking arms with her and leading her into the main hall. “Qingman, your Third Aunt, Fourth Aunt, and little aunt are here. They’re all family, so there’s no need to be shy. We all know about Comrade Liu’s situation.”

Qin Qingman’s face turned red at Zhu Hongxia’s words.

“You child, why be shy? We’re all family. When a man grows up, he should marry; when a woman grows up, she should marry. You came at the right time. We were just about to go to your house to discuss Comrade Liu further. He’s really outstanding, and he’s a leader at the farm. Such a marriage is like a pie falling from the sky…”

Blah blah blah.

Zhu Hongxia’s mouth kept moving like a machine gun, spitting out words nonstop.

—o—o—o—

Inside, Qin Qingman’s heart was as calm as water, but out of the corner of her eye, she kept an eye on Qin Caiyun, who was walking beside her.

Qin Caiyun was not simple; she was a girl with a lot of schemes. In the original storyline, although she married a man who had been married before, it was she who sought him out and voluntarily married him.

The man, though a second marriage with children, was honest and treated Qin Caiyun very well.

After their marriage, he practically worshipped her, and even his stepsons were fairly filial. Once Qin Caiyun had borne her own son, she subtly used her influence to have her husband send away the children from his previous marriage.

She was intelligent and shrewd, and a person like Qin Caiyun would never be content with mediocrity.

Qin Qingman didn’t try to trap Qin Caiyun. She was simply there to inform her that Zhu Hongxia was introducing her to a well-placed suitor.

As Zhu Hongxia’s daughter, Qin Caiyun had certainly not lived as comfortably as her two younger brothers.

Since childhood, she had not only helped her parents with chores but also had to look after her two younger brothers. Ambitious and proud, Qin Caiyun had long wanted to leave this home.

Sure enough, when Qin Caiyun heard Zhu Hongxia’s praises for Liu Hechang, she furrowed her brow.

This was the first time she had heard such news.

But with such good conditions, why was it being mentioned to Qin Qingman, who had no support? Why wasn’t it being proposed to their own family? Something must be off.

Being both clever and scheming, Qin Caiyun quickly figured out the key point.

Qin Qingman wasn’t specifically plotting against Qin Caiyun. Everything was happening naturally. From the moment she entered the house, her aunts had been relentlessly praising Liu Hechang in her ears, saying things even sweeter than songs. They promised that if Qin Qingman was willing to meet Liu Hechang for an arranged marriage, they would immediately take her to meet the man.

Facing the eager, seemingly concerned faces around her, Qin Qingman understood why the original owner had been deceived.

They were all blood relatives, and the original owner had never expected such cruelty from them.

If the aunts were still somewhat distant, the uncles who knew Liu Hechang’s situation clearly stood by, watching the original owner fall into a trap without doing anything to help. That was even worse.

As she listened to the sound of drinking coming from the next room, Qin Qingman reluctantly glanced at Zhu Hongxia.

“Second Aunt.”

The way she addressed Zhu Hongxia sent a chill through the latter’s body, as if a shiver had run down her spine. She suddenly felt uneasy, as though Qin Qingman had no good intentions.

The entire hall grew quiet as a result of Qin Qingman’s words.

Qin Xiang, along with the third and fourth aunts, looked at Zhu Hongxia. Since Qin Qingman had addressed Zhu Hongxia directly, there was no need for them to get involved.

Zhu Hongxia had offended these relatives before, so she couldn’t push the blame onto anyone else. She could only smile at Qin Qingman with a feigned, insincere expression. “Qingman, what’s the matter?”

Qin Qingman had been waiting for Zhu Hongxia to respond and immediately spoke up, “Second Aunt, I’ve thought about what you said. My family’s situation is indeed special, and I’m not sure if Comrade Liu would be willing to accept Chuchu.”

Zhu Hongxia immediately frowned at her words. “Well… Qingman, let me be blunt. A man marrying a woman to support her family is magnanimous, but no one can be generous enough to marry a woman and her brother along with her.”

Qin Xiang, the little aunt, followed up with more persuasion. “Don’t worry, Qingman, Comrade Liu is a very kind person. He’ll definitely help take care of Chuchu. After all, he’s a leader at the farm, and with that connection, when Chuchu grows up, his job prospects will be secured.”

Hearing this, Qin Qingman’s eyes brightened, and she looked at Qin Xiang. “Little aunt, is that true?”

Just as Qin Caiyun, who had just finished delivering alcohol to Qin Lei and the others, slowed her pace, she overheard this conversation.

“Of course it’s true.” Qin Xiang replied, seeing that Qin Qingman was moved. She continued, “Comrade Liu is a leader at the farm and has work quotas in his hands. If you marry him, he will definitely help Chuchu.”

This was also the reason why they were so eager to persuade Qin Qingman to marry Liu Hechang.

For the sake of securing jobs for the other children in the family, sacrificing one girl seemed very worthwhile.

Besides, Qin Qingman wasn’t one of their own children, so they didn’t care about her well-being.

“With Comrade Liu’s good conditions, why are you introducing him to me?” Qin Qingman, fully aware of their motives, asked the question that had been lingering in Qin Caiyun’s mind.

Zhu Hongxia, Qin Xiang, and the others were momentarily stumped by Qin Qingman’s words.

It was Li Meina, the third aunt, who reacted quickly and explained, “Comrade Liu likes gentle girls, and you are the only one in the family who fits that description.”

“Exactly, Comrade Liu likes gentle girls, which is why we thought of you.” Zhu Hongxia quickly added, agreeing with Li Meina loudly.

Qin Xiang and Yao Chunying, the fourth aunt, exchanged a glance before quickly nodding in agreement.

Over to the side, Qin Caiyun, who had been listening in, sneered to herself. Although she wasn’t as good-looking as her cousin, she had always been very gentle and thought she could certainly win over Comrade Liu, the farm leader. If she had married him…

Seeing that most of her goal had been achieved, Qin Qingman spoke again, “Aunts, I agree to go on the blind date.”

“Good, I’ll arrange it for you right away.”

Zhu Hongxia smiled so widely her mouth almost reached her ears.

“Second Aunt, I want to take some time to improve my and Chuchu’s health before meeting Comrade Liu.” Qin Qingman, having hidden her true intentions until now, finally revealed her purpose for coming to Zhu Hongxia’s house today: to set a trap and, of course, to ask for something in return.

As soon as Qin Qingman spoke, the atmosphere in Zhu Hongxia’s house instantly grew quiet.

Not only did the hall fall silent, but even the faint sounds of drinking and talking from the room next door were silenced.

Zhu Hongxia and the other aunts were visibly struggling.

Qin Qingman had truly seized their weakness with this move.

If they didn’t give her anything, Qin Qingman might refuse to go on the blind date, and without her cooperation, they couldn’t arrange jobs for their own children.

But if they gave her something, especially with the heavy snow and only a few months left, their own food supplies were scarce.

“Aunts, before, Chuchu and I were really starving, and our health is still weak. We didn’t dare to skimp on the eggs and grain you gave us before. But now, we don’t have much food left at home. If we ration it carefully, we can probably make it until the snow melts in spring. But if we get too thin, I’m worried Comrade Liu might not be interested…” Qin Qingman painted a vivid picture to subtly push them into giving.

“I still have some grain at home. I’ll share some with you.” Qin Xiang said through gritted teeth, finally giving in.

“My family can give you two chickens.” Zhu Hongxia also reluctantly agreed, offering what she could spare.

Seeing that her younger sister-in-law and second aunt had already contributed, Li Meina and Yao Chunying exchanged a glance, then reluctantly agreed to provide some eggs and mountain goods.

In the end, Qin Qingman left Zhu Hongxia’s house with a full load of supplies.

As Qin Caiyun helped carry the supplies back to the Qin family’s house, her mind began to race. If she married that farm leader, wouldn’t she be able to have whatever she wanted? Even her parents, who were always focused on her two younger brothers’ work, would likely have to look to her for favors!

Thinking about the power, Qin Caiyun’s mind began to churn with possibilities…