Chapter 199

After Cui Yuan’s reminder, Wang Yuan’er kept a close watch on Wang Chun’er. Unexpectedly, since that day, the girl had seemed like a wilted eggplant, losing her usual vitality. She quickly grew thinner and eventually caught a cold, lying weakly in bed.

“Chun’er, it’s time to take your medicine,” Wang Yuan’er said as she entered the room, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup and calling to her sister.

Wang Chun’er’s face was wax-yellow. Seeing the dark, murky medicine, her already furrowed brows knitted even tighter.

“Elder Sister, I don’t want to drink it,” she murmured.

Wang Yuan’er glared at her. “You’re not a child anymore! Stop acting like Lan’er and Baolai, throwing tantrums.”

Wang Chun’er forced a smile, took the bowl, closed her eyes, and gulped down the bitter medicine all at once.

“Ah—cough, cough.” Drinking it too hastily, she choked and coughed several times.

“Drink it slower,” Wang Yuan’er said as she reached into a drawer and pulled out a jar of preserved treats. She took out a syrup-soaked plum and placed it in Chun’er’s mouth. “This will help chase away the bitterness.”

This time, Wang Chun’er obediently complied. The sweet and sour plum quickly alleviated the bitter taste lingering in her mouth, prompting her to say, “When we were kids, we didn’t have treats like this.”

Back then, when they had to drink medicine, there were no preserved treats to mask the bitterness. Those luxuries often belonged to Wang Min’er and her siblings, leaving the other girls longing for them with envy.

“Life always improves over time, and troubles smooth out as well,” Wang Yuan’er said softly, reaching to tuck Chun’er’s stray strands of hair behind her ear. “You’ve always been someone who keeps everything bottled up. It’s no different now. What can’t you share with me, your sister? We’re family—why let yourself suffer into illness?”

“Elder Sister…” Chun’er’s heart softened. She leaned forward and buried her face in Wang Yuan’er’s arms, her voice trembling with emotion.

Wang Yuan’er let out a soft sigh, gently patting her sister’s back. She asked, “Do you have feelings for Hou Biao?”

Wang Chun’er’s body stiffened, and she lifted her head, her expression a little flustered. “Elder Sister!”

“There’s no one else here, just the two of us. You can tell me what’s in your heart,” Wang Yuan’er said, looking at her intently.

Wang Chun’er bit her lower lip and lowered her head. “Even if I like him, what does it matter? He doesn’t feel the same way,” she said, her voice tinged with sorrow. As she recalled the moment he urged her to consider meeting someone else, her heart ached like it was being torn apart, and tears began to fall.

“Chun’er, is he truly the only one for you? After all… he already has a child by his side,” Wang Yuan’er cautiously added.

“I don’t know,” Wang Chun’er replied, her face turning red. “When I’m with him, I just feel at ease. He… he’s also very thoughtful, and I get along so well with Dan’er.”

Wang Yuan’er sighed deeply and said, “As long as you won’t regret it, that’s what matters.”

“Elder Sister?” Wang Chun’er asked, somewhat puzzled, her heart racing as she looked at her.

“First, focus on recovering. Just look at your face—it’s gotten so thin. We’ll talk about other things later,” Wang Yuan’er said, gently changing the topic as she pinched Chun’er’s cheek affectionately.

Sniffling, Wang Chun’er nodded in agreement.

…

Hou Biao arrived with Hou Dan to pay the rent. He stretched his neck, searching for a certain figure, but failed to see her, leaving a hint of disappointment on his face.

Wang Yuan’er noticed this. Glancing at Hou Dan, she smiled and said, “Dan’er, it’s been a while since you last came to play. Your Sister Lan has been missing you. Go inside and find her—your brother Bao Lai is there too.”

Hou Dan looked up at her father. Seeing his nod of approval, she happily ran inside.

Wang Yuan’er stepped aside to let Hou Biao into the shop and poured him a cup of tea.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Miss Chun’er,” Hou Biao said, attempting to conceal his emotions behind the teacup.

“She’s unwell,” Wang Yuan’er replied.

Hou Biao was startled, choking on his tea and spilling some in the process. His face filled with worry as he asked, “Unwell? What happened? Did she see a doctor? What kind of illness is it?”

He fired off a series of questions, only to notice Wang Yuan’er looking at him with an amused expression. Realizing this, he lowered his head, his ears turning slightly red.

“You’ve been in Changle Town for about half a year now, haven’t you, Brother Hou?” Wang Yuan’er asked as she refilled his cup. “What are your plans for the future? Any thoughts about returning to your hometown?”

For some reason, Hou Biao felt a jolt in his heart.

“I’m from Huazhou,” Hou Biao said with a smile. “There are no family members left in my hometown. Changle Town is quite nice, and I plan to settle here and find some long-term work.”

“Oh? You seem to have some martial skills. What kind of work did you do before?” Wang Yuan’er glanced at his rolled-up sleeves, noticing his well-built arms.

“I used to work as a guard for a wealthy family in Huazhou,” Hou Biao replied honestly. “Last year, when Huazhou experienced flooding, my employer’s family relocated to the northwest. I didn’t follow them and wandered until I reached Changle Town. Having no belongings, I settled down wherever I felt was good.”

Wang Yuan’er nodded slightly.

“And Dan’er’s mother’s family?” she asked.

Hou Biao shook his head, hesitating for a moment before saying, “Dan’er is actually my cousin’s daughter.”

Wang Yuan’er was startled and looked at him.

With some difficulty, Hou Biao continued after a long pause, “She got pregnant before marriage, and no one even knows Dan’er’s father. All we know is that he was a scholar. That scholar…”

It was a clichéd and tragic story. A simple, naive girl fell for a talented and eloquent scholar. They promised themselves to each other and shared a fleeting romance. The scholar left to pursue academic success, promising to return and marry her. But he never came back, and the girl was left pregnant and abandoned.

The fate of an unmarried girl who became pregnant was predictable—she was rejected by her parents, forced to flee her home, and lived in hiding. In the end, she found her only cousin and entrusted her daughter to him before passing away in sorrow.

“When Dan’er wasn’t even two years old, her mother passed away. To outsiders, I always claimed she was my own daughter and wife,” Hou Biao sighed.

Wang Yuan’er was shocked. She had never imagined Dan’er’s background was like this—she had assumed otherwise.

“What about Dan’er’s maternal grandparents?” Wang Yuan’er regained her composure and asked. From his words, it seemed they were still alive, so why hadn’t Dan’er stayed with them instead of her cousin Hou Biao?

“You wouldn’t understand,” Hou Biao replied. “My cousin lost her mother when she was young, and her stepmother came into the picture later. After this incident, how could that stepmother have treated her sincerely?” With just a single sentence, he explained why Dan’er had ended up with him.

So that’s how it was.

After causing such disgrace to her family, it was no surprise the stepmother would have hated her cousin, perhaps even wishing to drown her in a pig cage. Why would she ever raise the orphaned child? As for her father—well, with a stepmother often comes a stepfather’s indifference. He must have rejected his daughter as well.

Wang Yuan’er let out a sigh. “Things like this seem to happen everywhere.”

“So, Brother Hou, does this mean you’ve never been married?” Wang Yuan’er asked.

Hou Biao’s face flushed as he shook his head. “Someone like me, bringing up a little girl—what decent woman would be willing to marry me?”

Wang Yuan’er gave a faint smile. “Brother Hou, you’re a man of integrity.”

Hou Biao hesitated as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn’t. Instead, he drained the cup of tea in one go.

Seeing this, Wang Yuan’er felt a twinge of disappointment. If he couldn’t even muster the courage to bring it up, it was likely Chun’er’s affection for him would end up misplaced.

As Hou Biao poured himself another cup of tea and drank it down in one gulp, Wang Yuan’er inwardly scolded him for being as dense as a log. She cleared her throat and said, “Our Chun’er…”

She had barely started when Hou Biao’s eyes lit up, staring at her eagerly. Wang Yuan’er found it amusing and was just about to continue when a loud voice rang out from a distance.

“Oh my, oh my, Eldest Miss Wang! This time, I’ve really found the right match for you.”

With a bright red flower pinned to her head, her face painted with vivid red rouge, and holding a large sunflower fan in her hand—who else could it be but the matchmaker Madam Zhu?

“Well, Madam Zhu, what wind has blown you here?” Wang Yuan’er greeted her with a smile.

“Naturally, it’s the wind of joy, the wind of joy,” Madam Zhu replied, her eyes narrowing into a pleased grin. She glanced at the shop, noticing there were people inside, but paid them no mind. She grabbed Wang Yuan’er and said, “Earlier, you asked me to find a good family for your Second Sister. I’ve shown you several prospects, but none satisfied you. Now, I’ve finally found a match you’ll like.”

Behind them, the sound of a teacup shattering against the floor rang out.

“Oh?” Wang Yuan’er glanced back with a faint smile.

Madam Zhu triumphantly waved her large sunflower fan and said, “The family is in the neighboring Taiping Town. They own a hundred acres of good farmland. Their son is twenty years old, the prime age for marriage, and he’s known to be honest and considerate—a man who would cherish his wife. Moreover, he’s their only heir, so all the family property will be solely his in the future.”

As Wang Yuan’er listened, the family’s circumstances sounded well-off, but for someone of his age to remain unmarried—was there a hidden issue?

“Such a fine young man, yet unmarried?” she wondered aloud, skeptical.

Madam Zhu coughed and said, “He’s a good man, but there’s just one small flaw.” She glanced at Wang Yuan’er and, seeing her raised brows, coughed again before adding, “This lad was playful in his youth, and firecrackers injured his left eye.”

Wang Yuan’er’s smile froze slightly. So he was blind in one eye.

“Although his left eye is injured, his right eye is perfectly fine, and it doesn’t affect his ability to see at all,” Madam Zhu quickly explained, noticing Wang Yuan’er’s displeased expression. She added, “Honestly, aside from his eye issue, this young man is truly one in a hundred—an excellent match for your Second Sister.”

She internally mused: With both parents deceased and no one rejecting your supposed misfortune, what else is there to be picky about?

“I’ll need to discuss this with my grandfather and grandmother first. If they agree, I’ll come back to you, Madam Zhu,” Wang Yuan’er finally replied after a long pause.

Madam Zhu tilted her mouth and said, “Fine, but let me tell you, Eldest Miss Wang—there’s a limit to how much you can choose. After a while, people might start saying your family’s girls are too picky, and finding a match will only get harder.”

Wang Yuan’er offered a faint smile, clearly unbothered. Seeing this, Madam Zhu could only mutter a sarcastic remark under her breath before sashaying away.

“No, Chun’er cannot marry such a man,” Hou Biao said angrily as he approached from behind.

Wang Yuan’er turned to him. “If not someone like this, then who? You heard what she said—being picky can make it harder for a girl as she ages to find anyone willing.”

“Who said no one wants her? I do,” Hou Biao blurted out. “I’ll marry her.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Wang Yuan’er gave him a knowing smile, causing his face to turn bright red.

“Brother Hou…” came a soft voice from the door leading to the inner courtyard. Wang Chun’er stood shyly at the threshold, holding the doorframe, her cheeks flushed as she looked at him.