Chapter 125

In the main house, Grandma Wang looked at her eldest granddaughter, who was sitting up straight, and found it hard to understand her. She somewhat agreed with Madam Zhang’s words: marrying a good man meant a woman would have no worries about food and clothing. For a woman, wasn’t it about marrying well to secure a stable future?

Although being a second wife was not ideal, if the man was kind and caring, it wasn’t impossible. As for age, how many good years does a woman have? If she could win her husband’s heart while young and bear a son, when the older man passed away, she would have a son to rely on, ensuring a lifetime of security.

With this in mind, Grandma Wang earnestly explained the pros and cons to her.

“Grandmother knows you are unwilling, but this is fate. You were born with such a fate; who can you blame? Don’t be too hasty in your refusal. Consider meeting him first. I heard that wealthy families maintain themselves well, and even at fifty, they look like they are in their thirties.”

Wang Yuan’er almost laughed. Landlord Li’s appearance could make anyone lose their appetite. Even her grandfather looked better.

“Grandmother, you might not know, but by chance, I’ve heard about Landlord Li’s character. It’s said he’s miserly, counts every coin he spends, and even saves leftovers overnight. He’s a true skinflint. He’s also mean-spirited, and his foolish son is as dumb as a pig. It’s said he has some unsavory habits in the bedroom.” She blushed and revealed the secret.

“Stop!” Grandma Wang was shocked, glaring at her, “Shameless talk. Where did you hear such nonsense? How can a young lady hear such things?”

“Anyway, I won’t marry him. I’m still in mourning, and my younger siblings are still young. I can’t marry now,” Wang Yuan’er pouted. “In the countryside, many girls get married at eighteen or nineteen. I can marry later. Grandmother, if you really force me, I’ll shave my head and become a nun.”

“You, you, who gave you the guts to threaten your grandmother!” Grandma Wang trembled with anger.

Wang Yuan’er stood up, eyes firm, “I’ve said my piece. Pardon my unfilial behavior.” With that, she bowed and left.

As soon as she left, Madam Zhang hurried in and asked Grandma Wang, “Mother, about the marriage…”

“Wait, Yuan’er mentioned something about that Landlord Li…” Grandma Wang repeated Wang Yuan’er’s words and glared at Madam Zhang, “Did you know about this?”

Madam Zhang’s face turned a bit ugly, but she denied it, saying, “There’s no such thing. That girl is just spreading rumors. Mother, you should meet him and see for yourself. The landlord also wants to meet Yuan’er.”

“Is it true?” Grandma Wang looked at her suspiciously.

Madam Zhang firmly shook her head, secretly cursing Yuan’er. With such a reputation, did she still hope to marry a scholar?

Wang Yuan’er returned to her room, still fuming. She realized just venting wasn’t enough, so she took paper and pen and wrote a letter.

In her previous life, she blamed her maternal relatives and had no contact with them, leaving her without support. This life was different. She had a good relationship with her maternal grandparents and uncle. Since it was a matter of life, she naturally had to let them know and ask for their support.

She wrote several pages, added some embellishments, sealed it with leather, and personally took it to the bookstore to arrange for it to be sent.

Chapter 126

When Wang Yuan’er returned to the east room, she found the younger siblings sitting silently on the kang, wiping their tears. When they saw her come in, their tear-filled eyes looked at her pitifully.

“What’s wrong?” They looked like abandoned little pitiful souls.

“Eldest sister, are you getting married?” The youngest sister, Wang Lan’er, was the most cry-prone among the siblings. At this question, she burst into tears, “Mom and Dad abandoned us, and now you’re going to abandon us too?”

“Why are you crying? Eldest sister is just getting married, not dying.” Wang Qing’er patted her shoulder, realizing she had misspoken, spat twice, and then pulled Wang Lan’er into her arms, crying.

Wang Chun’er said nothing, but she wiped her tears while tightly hugging little Baolai, her face full of hesitation and worry.

“Eldest sister, please don’t abandon us. Lan’er will be good. Lan’er will help the second sister with the chores, take care of the little brother, and won’t eat so much meat. Please don’t get married.” Wang Lan’er broke free from her third sister’s embrace, jumped down, grabbed Wang Yuan’er’s sleeve, and looked up at her.

So they had all heard!

Wang Yuan’er felt a pang in her heart, squatted down, and used a handkerchief to wipe the tear-stained dirt off Lan’er’s face, pretending to be annoyed yet smiling, “Who told you I’m getting married? Don’t worry, I won’t marry. I will wait until Lan’er gets married. Silly girl, how could I abandon you?”

“Really?” Wang Lan’er wiped her tears with one hand and smiled through her tears, “You won’t abandon us?”

“Of course, it’s true. Whether I marry or not, you will always be the closest people to me.” Wang Yuan’er nodded firmly.

“Eldest sister, if that family is good, you should marry. We still have me,” Wang Chun’er said resolutely. She was no longer a child and understood that a woman’s youth was limited. If the family was truly good, why can’t she get married? If the eldest sister could take care of the family, so could she.

Wang Qing’er, seeing her second sister’s words, bit her lip and said, “Right, Eldest sister, if you want to marry, then marry. You still have me!”

Seeing both of her elder sisters say this, Wang Lan’er felt uneasy and didn’t know what to say. But she knew her elder sisters were thinking of their eldest sister’s best interest and said, “Eldest sister, then, we also have me. Just promise to come back and see us!”

At this moment, Wang Yuan’er’s tears really fell. Looking at her sisters’ determined and clear eyes, her heart grew even more sorrowful, and she said, “I will be careful. If a good family comes along, I will consider it. Right now, I’m not thinking about marriage, only about earning more money to make life prosperous.”

Besides, right now, she had no interest in marrying, especially not to someone like Landlord Li.

Upon hearing her promise, the siblings finally felt at ease and promised to work hard to help support the family.

Although Wang Yuan’er said she wouldn’t marry, Wang Lan’er was still scared. She clung to her tightly, even at night, claiming she was afraid to sleep alone and needed to share a bed. During the day, she helped with chores, following her everywhere like a little tail.

Seeing her youngest sister like this, Wang Yuan’er felt both sorrow and heartache. This child was sensitive, having lost both parents early on. Now, she was truly afraid that she would be abandoned without a pillar to rely on. Thinking this, she felt even more protective of her youngest sister.

After this incident, the sisters supported each other even more, becoming closer and more united. Their bond grew stronger and remained that way until they all passed away, their relationship as close as that of mother and daughters, which later generations would marvel at and praise. But that is a story for another time.