“Brother Song, how exactly did you tell Shen Xiaolang about it, and how did he respond?” Lin Erzhu, having led Zhou Song into the hall, couldn’t resist poking fun, waggling his brows and pressing him for details about the proposal.

Zhou Song pushed Lin Erzhu’s face away, but the lingering joy in his heart softened him, and he replied, “I said I’d bring a matchmaker in a few days, and he said he’d wait for me.”

“That’s it?” Lin Erzhu, expecting a more elaborate story, looked at him in disbelief.

“That’s it.” Zhou Song nodded matter-of-factly. “He wasn’t feeling well, so I wanted him to get back to rest sooner; we didn’t talk much.”

Lin Erzhu clicked his tongue, feeling a bit disappointed. “Brother Song, how can you still be so tight-lipped at a time like this? This was your chance to say something nice! All he said was that he’d wait for you; that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s agreed. You should start showing some affection!”

Zhou Song was taken aback. He hadn’t thought that deeply about it—just hearing Kun Ze say “wait for you” had already made him so ecstatic that he hadn’t considered anything else.

Now that Lin Erzhu mentioned it, he grew anxious, though he tried to hide it. Speaking a little faster than usual, he asked, “So what should I do now? Do you think he’ll mind if I’m not good with words?”

Lin Erzhu observed Zhou Song’s restlessness and finally burst out laughing. “Hahaha… Brother Song, I’ve never seen you like this before! Shen Xiaolang really has some kind of magic power over you!”

Realizing he’d been teased, Zhou Song’s expression turned serious as he looked at Lin Erzhu with narrowed eyes.

Lin Erzhu quickly cleared his throat, stifling his laughter. “Don’t worry, Brother Song. Knowing Shen Xiaolang’s personality, if he said he’d wait for you, it’s basically a sure thing. You’re tall and handsome—who wouldn’t like that? And being a man of few words makes you seem steady and reliable!”

As he finished speaking, Lin Erzhu’s head received a firm slap. “Ouch!” he yelped, clutching the back of his head and turning around to find his mother, Aunt Qian, had entered unnoticed.

She settled down on a stool beside them and tapped her finger on Lin Erzhu’s forehead. “I could hear you fooling around from a distance. Have some decorum.”

Lin Erzhu rubbed his head, grinning sheepishly. “I’m just happy that Brother Song’s finally decided to propose to someone.”

Aunt Qian shot him a playful glare before turning to Zhou Song. “So, Zhou Song, if you’re planning to propose, have you looked for a matchmaker yet? Even though you’ve already discussed it with him, you can’t let him feel neglected.”

“Not yet,” Zhou Song shook his head. “I don’t know much about these marriage matters, so I wanted to ask you first to avoid any mistakes.”

“That’s sensible. Men often overlook things in these matters,” Aunt Qian agreed. “But in this village, there aren’t many marriage customs to observe. Shen Xiaolang used to be from a well-to-do family, so he might be particular about such things. I worry that simplifying things too much might be disrespectful. For example, the six marriage rituals—how do you feel about that?”

The six marriage rituals—betrothal proposal, name inquiry, fortune assessment, gift giving, date selection, and formal welcoming—each had specific steps and were traditionally very meticulous. In the village, weddings were simpler affairs, typically involving a matchmaker, a small gift exchange, and choosing an auspicious day. For some, a cart to pick up the bride was the highlight of the event, followed by a few tables of food to celebrate with the community.

Lin Erzhu’s wedding had a borrowed ox cart adorned with a red silk flower on the ox’s head, a festive display that made quite the impression.

Without hesitation, Zhou Song responded, “We’ll follow all six rituals. Before the proposal, I’ll hunt down a pair of wild geese.”

For the betrothal proposal, gifting wild geese was customary, and Zhou Song didn’t intend to cut corners.

“Wow, Brother Song, that’s quite something!” Lin Erzhu whistled, impressed. In the village, most people gave wooden geese to satisfy the tradition, but Zhou Song was already talking about hunting real ones.

Ignoring her son’s remarks, Aunt Qian turned to Zhou Song. “Zhou Song, since you and Shen Xiaolang already know each other, perhaps it’s not necessary to follow every ritual strictly. We could simplify some steps as long as we’re respectful with the gifts. What do you think?”

For instance, the name inquiry and fortune assessment could be done during the proposal, saving time and unnecessary trips by preparing all the gifts at once. This would still show respect.

Zhou Song hesitated. Shen Qingzhu’s agreement had already made him feel overwhelmingly grateful. He didn’t want Shen Qingzhu to endure even the slightest grievance.

Seeing his indecision, Aunt Qian guessed his thoughts and suggested, “How about this? Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Wu family to see where they stand. If they prefer a more formal approach, we’ll go all out. If they agree to a simpler process, we’ll proceed as I mentioned earlier. How does that sound?”

After a long pause, Zhou Song shook his head. “Let’s do everything properly. I don’t mind the trouble, and I don’t want him to feel as if I’ve claimed him just because he agreed to the proposal. If he decides to change his mind, he should still feel free to refuse.”

Aunt Qian was moved by his words. She’d suggested simplifying the process partly because she wanted the engagement to be certain, minimizing any chance of something going wrong. But here was Zhou Song, genuinely selfless and considerate of Shen Xiaolang’s feelings, without a hint of selfishness.

Realizing she’d been a bit unfair, she nodded. “Alright, we’ll follow your wishes.”

“Thank you, Auntie.” Zhou Song didn’t blame her. He understood she only wanted to help him secure the engagement quickly.

Lin Erzhu, who had been quietly listening, chimed in. “Following traditions or not, what matters most is Brother Song’s sincerity. Shen Xiaolang will be touched if he hears about it.”

Zhou Song shot him a glance. “Just don’t go babbling in front of him.”

Lin Erzhu mimed zipping his lips.

Aunt Qian watched them with a smile. After Lin Erzhu finally quieted down, she said, “The proposal is just the beginning. The real preparations come afterward. If Shen Xiaolang agrees, we’ll need to discuss the betrothal gifts.”

In the village, offering five taels as a betrothal gift was considered generous, with three taels being the minimum, often accompanied by various trinkets and cloth, all of which added up.

Knowing how deeply Zhou Song felt for Shen Xiaolang, Aunt Qian advised, “You can certainly go above and beyond to make the event grand, but don’t go overboard. Too much attention can stir envy, and once he’s with you, you can always let him manage the money.”

Living alone and with little expense, Zhou Song had built up a decent amount over the years, something Aunt Qian was aware of, given their close family ties. Her advice was meant to prevent him from flaunting his wealth unnecessarily.

“I understand.” Zhou Song nodded. “I’ll rely on you, Auntie, for help with everything.”

Buying gifts like fabric and jewelry was beyond his expertise, so he would need help selecting the right items.

Aunt Qian readily agreed. But after a pause, she hesitantly added, “Zhou Song, I’m happy to help, but what about your family? Your uncle and aunt are still around. Will it look bad if I handle everything?”

Even with their strained relationship, they were still family. Sidestepping them for something as significant as marriage might invite criticism.

Zhou Song’s expression didn’t change. “Please handle the arrangements, Auntie. Don’t worry about them.”

If he’d cared about gossip, he wouldn’t have distanced himself from the Zhou family all these years.

Aunt Qian understood his feelings but couldn’t help reminding him. “And what about your grandmother?”

Zhou Song shook his head. “She’s too old to worry about these things. Let her rest.”

Seeing he was resolute, Aunt Qian didn’t push further. She smiled again, lightening the mood. “Alright, then. I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly. Honestly, I used to worry about your marriage, and here you go, surprising us all with this wonderful news.”

“Exactly,” Lin Erzhu added. “With Brother Song’s temperament, I thought he’d end up alone forever. Turns out, he just hadn’t found anyone he liked in the village.”

Zhou Song shot him a look and paused, then asked, “Did you two know I had feelings for him all along?”

Judging by their reactions, which were more joyous than shocked, they hadn’t been too surprised by his announcement. It was as if they’d expected him to want to marry Shen Qingzhu.

Lin Erzhu exchanged a glance with Aunt Qian and chuckled. “Oh, come on, Brother Song. We’ve known you for years. When have you ever shown this much interest in anyone? And him being a Kun Ze? It wasn’t hard to guess.”

Zhou Song had always been the type to help only if directly asked, and seeing him willingly approach someone was rare indeed. Without any inclination would’ve been stranger.

Zhou Song wasn’t too surprised by their insight. Lin Erzhu’s playful remarks over time had given him a hint they’d noticed something, but no one had ever said anything openly.

The three of them continued chatting and laughing about the engagement plans for a while. Eventually, Liu Fang, who’d been resting inside, joined them, adding to the lively conversation.

That afternoon, Zhou Song gathered some gifts and went with Aunt Qian to visit the village matchmaker, Aunt Liu, arranging for her to propose to Shen Qingzhu’s family in a few days.

Aunt Liu was no stranger to Zhou Song. She’d made several attempts over the years to introduce village girls to him, but despite her silver tongue and lavish praise, not a single one had succeeded.

Not long ago, she’d even heard about a matchmaker from a wealthy family in the neighboring village trying to introduce someone to him, only to return empty-handed. Aunt Liu had often wondered what kind of angel it would take to catch Zhou Song’s interest.

Today, she finally had her answer.

“Shen Xiaolang, eh? I’ve seen him around, looking like a heavenly beauty. No wonder he caught your eye,” Aunt Liu teased.

Zhou Song wasn’t embarrassed. He clasped his hands and bowed. “Thank you for your help, Aunt Liu.”

Aunt Liu grinned as she held his hand. “Oh, no trouble at all. I’m glad to do it, though I’ll be honest: Shen Xiaolang’s family might not make it easy. If things don’t work out, don’t hold it against me.”

Zhou Song simply nodded, choosing not to mention his arrangement with Shen Qingzhu. Aunt Qian also refrained from commenting, merely adding with a smile, “Marriage proposals are all about fate. Success or failure, it’s natural either way.”

“Exactly. But I’ll give it my all! Zhou Song and Shen Xiaolang are a perfect match; both of them are handsome. If it works out, it’ll be a beautiful story!”

Matchmakers were known for their smooth talk, and Aunt Liu’s words were heartfelt. The two were indeed well-matched in looks alone, with one being a Qian Yuan and the other a Kun Ze—a match made in heaven.

If she managed to seal the deal, it would be a proud achievement in her career.

With the matchmaker secured, Zhou Song felt some of the weight lifted off his shoulders as they left her home.

Aunt Qian reminded him, “There aren’t too many gifts needed for the proposal, so you can prepare them the day before. But if you plan to gift live geese, you should start getting ready now.”

According to tradition, only one goose was sent during the proposal to signify the intention to marry. If the other party accepted, a second goose was given during the engagement to symbolize a complete pair.

Zhou Song nodded, taking her advice to heart.

As they walked back, Aunt Qian spoke softly, “Once everything’s set, remember to tell your parents.”

Zhou Song’s expression softened, and he nodded. “I will.”