Chapter 11

An unmarried man walking alongside an already‑married woman, and they didn't look like employer and employee. Zhou Chengwen chatted with a smile on his face. It all felt strange.
"Sister, could Brother Zhou be, " Zhao Wanwan frowned. "Won't this affect your marriage prospects?"
Li Qinghe laughed and flicked her nose. "You're small but you worry a lot."
Even in the countryside there are rules: if Zhou Chengkang wants to marry, he must wait his turn behind his elder brother. Besides, the man hasn't declared anything yet, what's the rush?
Li Qinghe really wasn't in a hurry. Madam Qian may want to marry her off, but it was useless, no one could force her to do what she didn't want. "You'd better think about how to convince your mother to let you help out," she said.
At that, Zhao Wanwan's face fell.
After wandering around, Li Qinghe bought Wanwan a wooden hairpin. At that moment Li Fu and Madam Qian came up, both looking displeased.
Madam Qian seemed to be whispering something; Li Fu half‑heartedly replied. When they drew near she fell silent. Spotting the wooden hairpin on Wanwan's head, she frowned, "Wasteful again, what use is this? It won't buy you food."
Zhao Wanwan hung her head. Li Qinghe, impatient, said, "I bought it."
Madam Qian was taken aback.
"Let's go home, what's the arguing for?" Li Fu snapped and strode ahead toward home.
Judging by his expression, the money hadn't been reclaimed.
They walked home in silence. Zhao Wanwan had something on her mind and kept glancing furtively at Madam Qian's face. When they could already see the big tree at the village entrance, Li Fu suddenly remembered something and turned apologetically, "Wanwan, I'm sorry I didn't let you see more of town today. If there's another chance I'll take you properly, okay?"
Zhao Wanwan hurried to refuse. "No need, my sister already took me around." Meeting Li Fu's apologetic look she suddenly added, "When my sister and I went to the bun shop today, the woman recognized my sister and asked us to help at the Sun family's banquet, forty wen. Father, can I go?"
"Go ahead," Li Fu said without much thought, then instructed Li Qinghe, "Look after your sister."
Madam Qian started to speak but stopped; no one paid her any mind. Their gazes were fixed on the big tree at the village entrance. The scene there felt different today. It was nearly harvest season and the afternoons were hot; usually many people gathered by the tree to cool off, lazily fanning themselves with hand‑made palm‑leaf fans and gossiping. Today, however, everyone had clustered together.
A sharp woman's voice rang out, "That whole family has no good intentions, let the crowd judge. Ever since I had Qingmiao and hurt myself, I've told outsiders more than once that one day I'd take in a son‑in‑law. Qingmiao used to be close to Zhou's second son, so I let it slide. Everyone knows the Zhou family has many sons; I thought Sister‑in‑law Zhou would understand. Now the child is properly matched, and yet your side won't agree. Are you playing games with us?"
Speaking was the aunt from the room next door to Li Qinghe; she sounded fairly close. The Li family had the most people in the village, and many quietly urged her to lower her voice and discuss it slowly, but their pleading only made her angrier. With a sweep of her hand she said, "If he won't agree to move in, then this marriage cannot go ahead!"
Mrs. Zhou's face was full of anguish; she looked even older now. She shook her head and murmured, "He won't move in, his father won't agree."
Zhou Chengwu steadied her and frowned. "Mother, do you want all of us to end up lifelong bachelors?" Then he looked at Mrs. Xu, Li Qingmiao's mother. "Auntie, Qingmiao told me about this long ago. I agreed to move in. From now on, the two of you will be my parents."
Mrs. Zhou grew anxious and reached for him. "Second son, you can't, "
Zhou Chengwu looked at Mrs. Xu. "Auntie, then it's settled."
People whispered among themselves, saying all sorts of things.
Li Fu stood at the edge of the crowd. Hearing this, he glanced at Li Qinghe and snapped, "Go home."
Li Qinghe didn't argue this time. She turned and headed for the house. Earlier she had let Zhou Chengkang walk her twice, and people had noticed; if she lingered now, the villagers would start pointing fingers at her.
Zhao Wanwan stuck close to her, excitement written all over her face. "Sister, father agreed. When the time comes, you have to bring me with you."
Li Qinghe answered without much thought. When she reached the doorway she saw someone standing there, Qian Laiman. Zhao Wanwan smiled and stepped forward. "Cousin, you're here?"
Though called a cousin, he was only a couple of months younger. Qian Laiman's eyes stayed on Li Qinghe. "Qinghe, I have something to tell you."
Li Qinghe raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
She was open and straightforward; Qian Laiman, by contrast, grew shy. He glanced at Zhao Wanwan, who darted inside and went straight to her room.
Qian Laiman's foot anxiously kicked the ground as he blurted out, "I want to marry you."
"But I don't want to be married," Li Qinghe rejected him flatly, giving him no room for hope. "Even if I marry, it won't be you."
Qian Laiman was not surprised; Li Qinghe had turned him down once before. "Is it because of my older brother?" he asked.
Li Qinghe went inside. "That's part of the reason."
She went straight to her room to look for a set of clothes suitable for working the fields; the pond still needed clearing soon. Zhao Wanwan padded in quietly. "Sister, Laiman is still out there."
Qian Laiman might have feelings for her, but precisely because of that she couldn't lead him on. Giving him false, sticky hopes would only hurt him. Besides, a farmer's daughter hardly ever gets many chances to choose; it was better her name not be tangled with anyone.
Later, Madam Qian and Li Fu returned and invited Qian Laiman in. After dinner they saw him off.
Li Qinghe didn't even go out for dinner. By her actions she made her resistance to the match plain. She hadn't forgotten that Li Fu was rather pleased with him.
After everyone left, Li Qinghe went out to the kitchen to cook for herself. As evening fell, people sat under the eaves to cool off. Madam Qian sighed, "Laiman is a good boy. Too bad Qinghe won't agree."
"Let her be; maybe she's being stubborn now," Li Fu said in frustration. "Earlier at the village gate, father even told me not to force her. So foolish, the old folks are getting on in years; why trouble them with these matters?"
Li Qinghe nibbled on her steamed bun, surprised; she hadn't expected the old man to have gone to Li Fu after all.
Madam Qian was surprised too. "Your father?" After a pause she added, "If we go along with her wishes, it means joining the Zhou family. Is that good for the child? You saw what happened at the village gate. Even if the Zhou family's second son moves in, there are still the eldest and the third ahead of her; she'll only get a turn later, sometime in the distant future!"