Chapter 16

Li Qinghe watched him in silence for a long moment before asking, "You say we're both unmarried. If you work for me and take no pay, are you trying to ruin my reputation?"
"No!" Zhou Chengkang looked at her. "I want to marry you, even if I have to move into your family."
Li Qinghe smiled inwardly and glanced toward his mother, who had been badly shaken but was forcing a smile as she chatted with Aunt Liu. "Are you sure?"
"Sure." Zhou Chengkang spoke seriously. "Although I'm a bit poor now, I know how to hunt. Don't worry, I will never let you go hungry."
Hunting was something he had taken up after Li Qinghe's death in the last life, when Zhou had moved alone up into the mountains to live and study.
Li Qinghe couldn't hide the smile at the corner of her mouth. "Tomorrow I'm going to Liu Village to buy fish fry from a seller."
"I'll go with you." Zhou Chengkang answered quickly.
That attitude would do, Li Qinghe thought. She turned and headed home, leaving him with one instruction: "Go back now, come early tomorrow."
Behind her, Zhou Chengkang answered in a light, cheerful voice; his steps into the yard grew noticeably lighter.
Madam Qian hadn't gone to the Zhou household, but she had heard the whole story. When she saw Li Qinghe come in, she sighed. "I told you the Zhou family had lots going on. It's too late for regrets now. Over at Qian Laiman's place, they settled a match yesterday, the daughter of Scholar Tang from Tang Village."
Li Qinghe smiled wryly. Qian Laiman was the sort who, if the girl he fancied wouldn't accept an engagement, would still go on to marry. It was the idea of someone like Zhou Chengkang ending up alone that would really be strange.
She paid it no mind and went into the kitchen. Zhao Wanwan was bent over, chopping vegetables with quick, practiced hands. Seeing her come in, she said in a low voice, "My aunt just came by and boasted about my cousin's fiancée, I think she did it on purpose."
Li Qinghe said nothing and helped with the frying. Zhao Wanwan moved closer. "Sister, are you going to Liu Village tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'm going to buy fish fry," Li Qinghe answered calmly.
Admiration lit Zhao Wanwan's eyes. "If only I could buy a piece of land like you. Then I could do whatever I wanted and my parents couldn't boss me around."
The reason her parents couldn't control Li Qinghe wasn't the land so much as Li Qinghe's stubborn, headstrong nature; Li Fu simply had no way to manage her.
Li Qinghe glanced at her. "I paid for that with my life." She hadn't forgotten how the girl, from a distance, had once seen someone crouched low and wanted to turn and run home, let alone how she'd rushed at a gang of ruffians.
Zhao Wanwan was silent. "My mother asked me for that copper coin again just now. I didn't give it to her."
That was progress.
The next morning Li Qinghe and Zhou Chengkang rode together by cart to town to pick up the aunt, then they went on to Liu Village. The trip was fairly smooth, except the fingerlings were expensive: five hundred cost five taels of silver, originally they asked for eight, but after some bargaining it came down.
Li Qinghe didn't have enough silver, at most three taels, all the savings she'd kept since buying the land. She had planned to buy fewer, but Zhou Chengkang beside her immediately agreed to pay the rest.
On the way back Li Qinghe said, "I don't have that much."
"I have some here; I'll give it to you first," Zhou Chengkang replied offhandedly.
Li Qinghe sat beside him and watched the familiar scenery flash by. "I don't feel right taking your money."
"Between us, we don't need to keep such strict accounts." Zhou Chengkang's voice came faintly on the wind, a little strained.
After half a day of running around, Li Qinghe got home in the afternoon. In the yard Li Fu and Madam Qian sat together, talking and laughing quietly. When they saw her enter, Li Fu smiled broadly. "Qinghe, come here, I have something to tell you."
Seeing the gentle smile on Madam Qian's face, Li Qinghe instantly grew wary. This surely meant trouble.
"There's a Hu family in town. They have a courtyard there and five acres in Liu Village. Their son is eighteen this year, handsome, and he's a scholar..."
Hearing Li Fu spell it out, a bad premonition rose in Li Qinghe's chest. "Father, what are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about your marriage." Li Fu looked stern. "This is different from the Qian family. You must consider it seriously. They said the Hu family could get you work helping at an inn for the same pay you used to earn. I think this match is a good one, it's just a mother and son, a simple household. If you marry there, you won't have to toil in the fields under sun and wind. If the boy is gifted in his studies, perhaps you'll even end up as the wife of a scholar..."
Li Qinghe cut him off, asking suspiciously, "How do you know they're that good?"
Madam Qian answered gently, "It was your uncle, he was classmates with the young man and said he was the most outstanding among them. The teacher often praised his talent; it's only a matter of time before he becomes a scholar."
When she heard it was because of Qian Laiwen, Li Qinghe refused without a second thought. "No need to consider it, I won't accept this match."
Li Fu frowned. "I know you don't like the Qian family, but this really is a fine match. The Hu family came by today; I've seen the young man, he's decent and well-mannered. I'm your father, would I do you harm?"
As he pressed the matter and saw she wouldn't be swayed, a faint anger began to show.
Madam Qian hurriedly cut in, "Don't be upset. If Qinghe doesn't want it, forget it. Besides, Wanwan just turned fourteen this year, it's actually fitting."
Li Qinghe looked at Madam Qian in surprise, then toward Zhao Wanwan. The girl kept her head bowed and said nothing, a faint, awkward blush still coloring her cheek.
She suddenly remembered: in her previous life Zhao Wanwan had indeed married into the town, seemingly into the Hu family, this was probably that household.
She thought it over carefully. Once Zhao Wanwan married she hardly ever came back; Li Qinghe had no idea whether she had been doing well.
Many things were different this time, Xu Changjie had been hurt again, she had taken Zhao Wanwan into town to work, yet this match couldn't be changed. Oh well. Some things are fated. The important thing was that Zhao Wanwan hadn't refused, so there was no need for her to stick her neck out.
Li Fu frowned and pondered for a long moment. "Qinghe is the elder sister."
Madam Qian shrugged, her voice gentle. "But Qinghe won't agree. Don't let the elders find out, they'll come and scold you for forcing her."
"Suit yourself." Li Fu tossed the words at Li Qinghe and rose to go into the backyard.
As Li Qinghe passed Madam Qian she heard her murmur, "You're the older sister, I think this match is a good one. If you won't agree, then find another match quickly so you don't hold Wanwan up."
Li Qinghe snorted. "I've said it: this is my home. I'm not going anywhere. Nobody can force me out, try if you don't believe me!"
Why should my marriage be set aside for Zhao Wanwan?