Chapter 37

The short-haired woman took another sip of water, then sighed and said to Mother Xie, “I’m talking about the marriage between Tao Zi and the youngest son of the Ruan family. You missed out big time by rejecting it because of his third sister!”

Mother Xie didn’t understand why she was bringing this up now, as it had been over six months. Besides, what did they lose? If they had let Xie Tao marry into the Ruan family, that would have been a loss. Ruan Changsheng’s third sister was a huge burden and trouble. She was causing a scene about her divorce and staying at her parents’ house, bringing shame to the Ruan family and living off them. If she could remarry, it would be fine, but her in-laws didn’t agree to the divorce, so she couldn’t remarry.

With such a third sister, what girl would want to marry Ruan Changsheng?

So, she looked at the woman and said, “The more I listen, the more confused I get. Have you been drinking?”

The woman slapped her thigh, “Who would invite me for a drink out of the blue? I’m not drunk and talking nonsense. Do you know the old tailor from Jinguang Village?”

Mother Xie replied, “Didn’t he pass away a month ago?”

The woman said, “Yes, and on his deathbed, he called all the village officials and gave all his property and shop to his apprentice, the young tailor. Do you know that?”

Mother Xie nodded, “I’ve heard something about it.”

The woman looked at her and asked, “Do you know who this young tailor is?”

Mother Xie said, “How would I know? It’s so far away. If it weren’t for the distance, we wouldn’t have been misled by that matchmaker named Fang, wasting so much time and effort. It makes me angry just thinking about it.”

The woman didn’t beat around the bush and said directly, “The young tailor is the granddaughter of the Ruan family, the niece of the youngest son of the Ruan family. And his third sister, who is now also a skilled tailor! You know how valuable and profitable tailoring skills are, right? It’s like having a golden rice bowl!”

Hearing this, Mother Xie immediately sat up straight.

She looked at the woman for a long time and asked, “Where did you hear this?”

The woman replied, “It’s not just hearsay. I went to the tailor shop today to invite the young tailor to make two outfits for my son. When I got there, the youngest son of the Ruan family and his third sister were both present. He asked me if Tao Zi had found a match, and that’s how I found out. Otherwise, how would I know?”

Mother Xie frowned, “The old tailor’s health had been failing for a long time, and he was eccentric. He only trained one apprentice, the young tailor. The young tailor has only worked independently for two or three months. Who taught Ruan Changsheng’s third sister her skills? Are you sure you’re not making this up?”

The woman had pieced this together at the tailor shop and felt that the Xie family had missed out on a good match. She couldn’t keep it to herself and hurried back to tell Mother Xie. She had no other intentions and only wanted the Xie family to know. After speaking, she felt relieved, regardless of whether Mother Xie believed her or not.

She didn’t stay long, got up, and said, “The day after tomorrow, the young tailor and her third aunt will come to make clothes. Many people in the village want her to alter their clothes. Even if you don’t need alterations, you can come and see for yourself.”

With that, she walked out, “I won’t keep you any longer. I need to go home and make dinner.”

Mother Xie saw her to the door, frowning as she watched her leave.

Moments later, Mother Xie turned back and saw Xie Tao lifting the curtain at the door.

Xie Tao stood there, speechless.

Mother Xie’s face darkened, and after a long pause, she said, “I think she’s just making things up to cause trouble for us. The old tailor’s health was so poor, and the young tailor had only recently started working independently. Who taught Ruan Changsheng’s third sister her skills? And how did your second aunt not find out about this when she went to Fengyan Village?”

Xie Tao felt uneasy, “We’ll know when the young tailor comes the day after tomorrow.”

Over the past six months, she had met several potential matches, but none were as good-looking or as tall and reassuring as Ruan Changsheng. Each time, after the first meeting, it was over. She was very satisfied with Ruan Changsheng, except for the issue with his third sister. If his third sister was now a tailor, earning more than anyone else in the Ruan family, wouldn’t that drive her crazy?

She hoped this wasn’t true, or she would become the village joke!

Such a good family to marry into: the father-in-law is the brigade secretary, the eldest brother is a respected officer in the army, the third sister and her niece are making good money as tailors, and Ruan Changsheng himself is strong and hardworking. Where else could she find such a match?

Xie Tao couldn’t afford to become a laughingstock; this must be false!

Before heading out to make clothes, Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi packed a few outfits at home. Shortly after opening the tailor shop, the people who came to help move the sewing machine arrived.

With the old tailor gone, the sedan chair was no longer needed and had been left in the corner of the courtyard.

Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi followed the sewing machine to Chiyu Village, arriving at the short-haired woman’s house just in time for lunch. They didn’t start working immediately but had lunch first.

Of course, they didn’t rest after lunch and got straight to work.

Ruan Xi sketched a few different uniform designs based on the young man’s appearance and temperament and let the woman and her son choose two. The woman liked all the designs and took a long time to decide on two.

Ruan Xi then drew the patterns according to the chosen designs, while Ruan Cuizhi helped with various tasks.

Soon, villagers came to watch. With no other entertainment, people flocked to any commotion. Even something as mundane as castrating a pig could draw a crowd, let alone making clothes. Among the onlookers were children, young unmarried girls, women, and elderly ladies.

Mother Xie didn’t go to the production team that afternoon. After lunch, she went to the short-haired woman’s house. She hadn’t been able to eat or sleep well for the past two days. If she didn’t see for herself and clarify the situation, she feared she couldn’t eat or sleep well tonight either. So, she had to come and see for herself.

As she left, she called out to Xie Tao, “Are you coming?”

Hiding in her room, Xie Tao replied, “I’m not going.”

She felt uneasy and didn’t want to face the situation. Not long after Mother Xie left, her good friend Er Mei came over.

Unaware of the situation, Er Mei said to Xie Tao, “I heard the young tailor is here to make clothes. I have a piece of clothing I want her to alter. Come with me. It’s boring to stay at home. Let’s go see the excitement.”

Xie Tao, claiming she didn’t feel well, was nonetheless dragged along by Er Mei. When they arrived at the short-haired woman’s house, Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi were busy cutting fabric.

Er Mei glanced over and said, “This young tailor is beautiful.”

Xie Tao looked at Ruan Xi and then at Ruan Cuizhi, feeling as if her chest was stuffed with cotton, making it hard to breathe. She would have slipped away if Er Mei hadn’t been holding her arm. Even though she hadn’t seen Ruan Changsheng for over six months, she immediately recognized Ruan Cuizhi’s resemblance to him. She didn’t need anyone to tell her; she knew this was Ruan Changsheng’s third sister!

Her face felt hot, and her feet felt like they were stepping on two hedgehogs!

She had despised Ruan Changsheng’s third sister for being a disgrace and a burden, but now she had become a skilled tailor, earning respect and making good money.

Er Mei, not noticing Xie Tao’s face, kept watching Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi’s work. Others were also watching them, and someone curiously asked, “Young tailor, is this your apprentice?”

Ruan Xi smiled and replied, “I taught her the skills, but she’s not an apprentice. She’s a proper tailor.”

Hearing this, Er Mei said to Xie Tao, “This young tailor is amazing. So young, and not only did she learn well herself, but she can also teach others. Look at that older sister’s skills.”

Xie Tao knew Er Mei was referring to Ruan Cuizhi. She could see that Ruan Cuizhi wasn’t just there to help but had genuinely learned the craft and was very skilled. The more she saw, the more uneasy she felt.

Finally, Er Mei turned her attention from Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi to Xie Tao. Seeing her face flushed, she was startled and said, “Tao Zi, are you running a fever? Your face is so red!”

As soon as she said that, the onlookers turned their attention to her, including Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi, who were busy working. Xie Tao felt so embarrassed she wanted to die, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into. With no hole to crawl into, she covered her face with her hands and immediately ran out.

Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi looked away and asked the short-haired woman, “Was that Xie Tao who just ran out?”

The short-haired woman replied, “Yes, that was Tao Zi.”

Ruan Xi nodded, thinking she indeed looked quite lovely, with a clear and pleasant face.

Sensitive people picked up on the underlying story in these words and asked, “Young tailor, do you know Tao Zi?”

Ruan Xi smiled and said to the woman who spoke, “No, I don’t.”

If she didn’t know her, how could she ask about her? This clearly indicated some conflict.

An elderly lady said, “It doesn’t seem like you don’t know her.”

Ruan Xi didn’t answer, not wanting to delve into Ruan Changsheng’s matters. The short-haired woman, mindful of Mother Xie’s feelings, didn’t say more either. However, she had talked a lot about Ruan Changsheng and Xie Tao over the past two days, so many people knew. Someone in the crowd said, “The young tailor’s surname is Ruan. She’s Ruan Changsheng’s niece!”

But, “Who is Ruan Changsheng?”

The crowd murmured, “Isn’t he the one who almost became Tao Zi’s match? It didn’t work out because of his third sister’s divorce and living at her parents’ house. That young man is Ruan Changsheng, I remember clearly.”

Then someone cleared their throat and pointed at Ruan Cuizhi, whispering, “She’s Ruan Changsheng’s third sister.”

With that, the crowd erupted, and someone directly asked Ruan Cuizhi, “Are you really Ruan Changsheng’s third sister? The one who… who has been living at her parents’ house…”

The word “divorce” was unpleasant, so they skipped it out of respect for Ruan Cuizhi. Ruan Cuizhi, however, didn’t mind and openly said, “Yes, I am his third sister.”

Someone said, “Wow, you actually learned the craft and became a tailor?”

Ruan Cuizhi smiled and said, “Living at my parents’ house is already bad enough. I can’t always rely on my parents and brother to support me. Since my niece became a tailor, I learned the craft from her. My parents shouldn’t support me for nothing; I need to honor them.”

Hearing this, Mother Xie’s face turned completely red.

At this point, everything was clear. The young tailor had undoubtedly taught Ruan Cuizhi’s skills! The person they once despised now possessed a valuable and profitable skill, becoming a respected tailor in the mountains!

They had previously looked down on Ruan Cuizhi for living off her family, fearing that Ruan Changsheng would have to support her for life. But now, she was earning a lot of money with her niece, and supporting Ruan Changsheng for life wouldn’t be a problem!

Someone noticed Mother Xie’s expression and said, “Your Tao Zi is really unlucky.”

Saying such a thing without tact was clearly meant to provoke her!

Mother Xie’s face darkened, her expression becoming more twisted and unpleasant. But mostly, she felt stifled and embarrassed, unable to muster a strong retort. She held her breath, didn’t respond, and pushed her way out of the crowd.

Still looking confused, Er Mei suddenly understood why Xie Tao didn’t want to come and why her face had turned so red before she ran off!

After piecing everything together, she immediately turned and ran out. She found Xie Tao at home, sitting on her bed, biting her lip, her face flushed with embarrassment. Her expression showed anger, frustration, and humiliation, almost to the point of tears.

Er Mei sat down beside her and, without much tact, said, “So that was Ruan Changsheng’s niece and third sister.”

On the verge of tears, Xie Tao looked at Er Mei, “Do you think I’m the unluckiest person ever?”

Such a good family to marry into, and she turned it down!

Er Mei thought for a moment and said, “Then find a better one!”

Almost in tears, Xie Tao said, “It’s not that easy! I can’t find one! The matchmaker’s suggestions were either short or ugly, and their families were ordinary, living off work points!”

Er Mei added, “If it weren’t for the young tailor and his third sister, Ruan Changsheng’s family would also be living off work points. If you dislike such families, look for someone in town.”

Biting her lip, Xie Tao said, “I’m not a fairy. Why would town folks choose me over someone from town? The matchmaker doesn’t even know people in town. Where would she find someone for me?”

Er Mei was out of ideas, “Then what should we do?”

Xie Tao stomped her feet, bent over, covered her face, and didn’t want to talk anymore. Of course, she wasn’t angry at anyone else but herself. She now wished she could punch herself a few times.

Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi were making clothes in Chiyu Village. Because of Ruan Cuizhi, Xie Tao, and Ruan Changsheng’s situation, the gossip quickly spread throughout the village.

Many people gossiped behind their backs, saying Xie Tao was unlucky. If she hadn’t cared about Ruan Cuizhi living at her parents’ house and had married into the Ruan family, wouldn’t she be living comfortably now? She might have even learned the craft from Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi and become a tailor herself!

Now, the Xie family must be regretting it deeply!

At the Xie family’s dinner table, the atmosphere was heavy.

Especially Xie Tao’s aunt, who had gone to Fengyan Village to inquire about the situation, was eating with her head down, not saying a word. She also deeply regretted it, thinking she shouldn’t have gotten involved. Although she felt she wasn’t responsible, as the information she gathered was accurate, the eldest family must have opinions about her.

Sure enough, after a long silence, Mother Xie finally spoke, “When you went to inquire, didn’t you find out that the young tailor is from the Ruan family, Ruan Changsheng’s niece?”

Xie Tao’s aunt said, “Sister-in-law, when it comes to marriage proposals, who looks at the next generation? Especially when it’s a girl who will be married off. Who would care? Who would have thought that at such a young age, she would be so capable, not only learning the craft herself but also teaching her third aunt? Would you believe it if you didn’t see it with your own eyes?”

Mother Xie was left speechless, feeling even more stifled.

Indeed, she wouldn’t have believed it before seeing it today. But no matter what, she felt suffocated and could hardly breathe.

Xie Tao’s aunt looked around the table at everyone’s faces, especially the eldest son’s family. She then turned to Mother Xie and said, “Sister-in-law, do you know if the youngest son of the Ruan family has found a match?”

Mother Xie was taken aback and said, “I don’t know.”

Xie Tao’s aunt suggested, “Then go find out. If he hasn’t found a match or gotten engaged, there’s still a chance. He and Tao Zi got along well and liked each other…”

Hearing this, Xie Tao slowly lifted her head.

Mother Xie looked at her aunt and then at Xie Tao. “I suddenly remembered Sister Wu mentioning the other night that Ruan Changsheng asked her if Tao Zi had found a match. Could it be… he hasn’t either?”

Hope appeared on Xie Tao’s face as she looked between her mother and aunt.

Her aunt backed off, “I won’t go asking around this time. I’m afraid I’ll mess it up again. The young tailor and her third aunt are still here. Tao Zi, why don’t you ask them yourself?”

Xie Tao bit her lip, “I’m too embarrassed… I can’t bring myself to do it…”

The men in the family, valuing their pride, stayed out of it and remained silent. So, Mother Xie took a deep breath and said, “I’ll go ask later. I don’t care about my old face anymore.”

Determined, she finished her meal, grabbed some presentable items from home, and headed to the short-haired woman’s house. After some polite conversation, she went to find Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi.

Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi were sitting together, working on their crafts.

Mother Xie approached them with a big smile, greeting them warmly.

Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi knew she was Xie Tao’s mother and had a good idea of her intentions. However, they didn’t show it and responded politely.

Still smiling, Mother Xie said, “It was all the matchmaker’s fault back then, hiding this matter. It wasn’t a big deal, but her secrecy made it worse. The more she hid it, the more we thought it was serious, and in the end, it ruined everything.”

Ruan Cuizhi, with a gentle smile, replied softly, “It’s okay. It’s been so long. Why bring it up? It was our Changsheng’s bad luck, not being good enough for such a fine girl like Tao Zi.” Her words had a hint of sarcasm, causing Mother Xie’s smile to falter.

But she was prepared and didn’t leave because of this. She continued smiling and asked, “I still want to know, has your Changsheng found a match?”

“He’s seeing someone.” Ruan Xi chimed in, “My uncle is quite fashionable. He was upset about the last incident and decided not to rely on matchmakers anymore. He wanted to find someone himself, and now he’s seeing someone.”

Mother Xie’s expression became strained, but she still asked, “Are they engaged?”

Ruan Cuizhi replied, “Almost.”

Hearing this, Mother Xie couldn’t maintain her smile any longer. She hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, “I won’t disturb your work any longer. I’ll be going now.”

Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi didn’t see her out, only saying, “Take care.”

When Mother Xie returned home, her face was devoid of any smile.

Xie Tao had been sitting at the door, waiting for her. As soon as she saw her mother’s grim expression, she felt a chill in her heart and anxiously asked, “What did they say? Does he already have a match?”

Mother Xie took a deep breath, “They said he’s seeing someone himself, and they’re about to get engaged.”

Hearing this, the light in Xie Tao’s eyes completely faded.

Feeling even more upset, her eyes reddened, and she sniffled, asking, “Which brigade is she from? Whose daughter is she? How does she look? What’s her personality like? Is she nice?”

Mother Xie replied, “How could I ask for such details? They said they’re about to get engaged, so I came back.” She didn’t stay outside any longer to avoid people gathering around to ask questions and make fun of them.

Xie Tao followed her back inside with her head down.

As soon as they sat down, Xie Tao’s aunt came over and asked, “What did they say?”

Mother Xie said, “They said he’s seeing someone himself, and they’re about to get engaged.”

Xie Tao’s aunt was very curious, “Seeing someone himself?”

This was new; in the countryside, people rarely heard of anyone finding a match on their own. It was usually done through matchmakers.

Xie Tao lifted her head and said, “Maybe they said that just to spite us. If he really found someone, why ask if I’ve found a match? Tomorrow, I’ll go to Fengyan Brigade myself and ask him.”

Mother Xie, displeased, said, “Why go so far? Isn’t our family embarrassed enough? What girl chases after a boy like that? I just went to see the young tailor, and their words were sarcastic. I think we should just let it go.”

Unwilling to give up, Xie Tao lowered her head with red-rimmed eyes.

Her aunt cleared her throat and said, “If Tao Zi wants to go, let her go. Maybe it’s really his third sister holding a grudge and talking nonsense. Sister-in-law, think about it, what are the Ruan family’s conditions now?”

Mother Xie replied angrily, “What conditions? Isn’t it just that his third sister is no longer a burden and can make some money? What’s so great about that? Being a tailor and feeling proud, does it mean my daughter can’t get married?”

Xie Tao’s aunt smiled and said, “Asking won’t hurt. Wouldn’t it be great if Ruan Changsheng still had feelings for our Tao Zi? We offended his third sister. Can we trust her sarcastic words?”

Mother Xie looked at Xie Tao’s aunt, deep in thought.

Xie Tao’s aunt continued, “Sister-in-law, think carefully. Ruan Cuizhi, being a tailor and earning money for the family, will take care of her brother, and even though Ruan Changsheng can’t rely on the young tailor, the young tailor has the old tailor’s inheritance. The young tailor will eventually get married and leave, maybe even go to her parent’s place, which is even farther away, basically not coming back. Who will end up with that big house and yard? Whether she gives it to her grandparents or to Ruan Cuizhi, it ultimately goes to Ruan Changsheng. His second brother’s family is separated; they can’t fight for it.”

Mother Xie looked into Xie Tao’s aunt’s eyes, slowly falling into deep thought.