Chapter 21: A Formal Proposal of Marriage

A loud "bang" echoed through the room, so sudden that Lin Zhilan dared not even draw a full breath.

"Ah! Are you actually trying to hit your own mother?" Her voice trembled.

She truly hadn't expected that this usually silent little bastard would turn into such a maniac when provoked. Just like his sickly mother, he was utterly detestable.

For the first time in his life, Jiang Bei broke his silence. "If you ever dare to slander her reputation again, I will kill you!"

"What?" Lin Zhilan looked up in disbelief, her eyes filled with terror, yet she didn't dare to meet her foster son’s chilling gaze. It was too frightening.

After speaking, Jiang Bei’s expression remained ice-cold as he turned and retreated into his room. Seeing him leave, Jiang Yunhai finally found the courage to shriek, "The world has truly gone mad! Don't call him for dinner tomorrow morning. Let him starve—starve to death, for all I care."

Jiang Xiaopang looked at the dumplings on the floor, his heart aching. *If they haven't been on the ground for more than a minute, they’re still edible, right?*

He snatched up a dumpling and stuffed it into his mouth, nearly causing Lin Zhilan to faint from fury. *How could I have given birth to such a fool of a son!*

***

Meanwhile, She Yuqi had returned home and immediately collapsed onto the kang, falling into a deep, comfortable sleep.

Xiaoxiao didn't disturb her this time; seeing she was asleep, she thoughtfully tucked the quilt around her.

As soon as She Yuqi’s consciousness entered her inner space, she hopped and skipped like a rabbit toward the supermarket on the second floor. Once inside, she hurried to the vegetable section, successfully unlocking it with the ten pounds of wild celery she had gathered over the past few days.

"Fantastic! Now I don't have to worry about running out of vegetables!"

At dawn, a beam of warm sunlight spilled over She Yuqi. She stirred awake and stretched languidly, looking dainty and charming.

After getting off the kang, She Yuqi headed straight for the cellar. She moved a portion of the cabbage and potatoes from her inner space to the cellar so as not to attract unwanted attention. Having done this, she went back inside to catch up on sleep—she was simply too exhausted.

In her drowsiness, she heard the clamorous voice of the shrew, Wang, outside. "Big trouble! And you’re still sleeping!"

Immediately after, a flurry of urgent knocking echoed. She Yuqi lay on the kang, rolling around like a meatball before finally dragging herself up.

"Coming, coming! Auntie, if you keep knocking like that, you’ll punch a hole right through the door!"

When she opened the door, the shrew, Wang, squeezed inside. Seeing She Yuqi just waking up, she lowered her voice and said, "Do you know Duan Liuzi, the local thug from Xiaohe Village?"

"He sent a matchmaker to Xiaogou Village to propose marriage!"

"To whom?" She Yuqi asked instinctively, though she soon guessed the answer, and her expression darkened.

Sure enough, as if to confirm her suspicion, the matchmaker walked into the yard, beaming with joy and carrying various gifts. "Is the She girl here?"

The shrew, Wang, rolled her eyes and glared fiercely at the grinning matchmaker. "Speak your piece or get out!"

The matchmaker had been hired by Duan Liuzi from Xiaohe Village. Being paid, she naturally had to do her job. Knowing the shrew, Wang, was not to be trifled with, she instinctively stepped back and offered a sycophantic smile. "My dear, there’s no need to be so rude. I’ve come today to share some wonderful news."

Without a second thought, She Yuqi grabbed a shovel and swung it toward the matchmaker. "If you don't want to speak, then let it rot in your stomach!"

"Oh my, She girl, where are your manners?" The matchmaker wagged her finger, complaining as she was chased out of the courtyard. "Everyone, come and see! I came to propose on someone's behalf, and the She girl chases me out without a word. How outrageous!"

The shrew, Wang, frowned and rolled up her sleeves, ready to jump into a fight. She Yuqi stopped her, not only unfazed but joining in the shouting.

"Entering a courtyard without the owner's permission is trespassing! Everyone, come and see which shameless person has come to beg for a scolding."

The matchmaker hadn't expected She Yuqi to be so articulate and her eyes flickered nervously.

***

"I thought you and Duan Liuzi were already head over heels in love, which is why he came to propose. Why the change of heart now?"

Han Xiangxiang had left the village head's house, and her first thought wasn't to watch the commotion at She Yuqi’s place, but to head straight to Xiaohe Village. She had been waiting for this drama for a long time, eager to see how the "bitch" would be ruined.

Before long, She Yuqi’s house was surrounded by spectators—a familiar scene that had played out countless times! With the shrew, Wang, backing her up, the villagers of Xiaogou Village dared not gossip too loudly.

"Duan Liuzi came to propose to the She girl?!"

"I heard Duan Liuzi already has a girl—Lin Yinyin, the younger daughter of the tofu seller in Xiaohe Village."

"Oh my, that Duan Liuzi is truly scum. He got the girl pregnant and abandoned her, and now he’s running over to propose to She Yuqi, the eldest daughter of the She family!"

Han Xiangxiang ran all the way to Xiaohe Village, running into Liu Cuihua on the way. Liu Cuihua grabbed her, "Where are you rushing off to?"

"Duan Liuzi is proposing to She Yuqi!"

As soon as she said it, Han Xiangxiang shook off Liu Cuihua’s hand and sprinted away. Liu Cuihua, overjoyed, forgot her errands and happily followed the crowd to Xiaogou Village to watch the spectacle.

Han Xiangxiang knocked loudly on the Lin family’s door. It was opened by Old Lady Lin, who smiled when she saw her. "Come in, child. Yinyin is inside sewing."

Han Xiangxiang nodded and entered. She saw Lin Yinyin sitting on the kang with a large, protruding belly. Her face was as pale as paper, her eyes hollow and soul-less, yet her hands continued to sew tiny baby clothes.

"Sister Yinyin, today Duan Liuzi went to my sister’s house to propose. It’ll probably be settled by now. What will you and the baby do?"

"Don't worry. I apologize on behalf of my sister. She didn't mean to steal your man. Please don't be angry with her!"

Back at the yard, the matchmaker was still bickering with She Yuqi.

"You’ve been so intimate with Duan Liuzi; who else could you marry if not him?"

"Intimate? What kind of intimacy?"

"Is this true? If it is, this is a huge scandal!"

"I think it’s true. Duan Liuzi has no reason to lie. Why would he name the She girl? There must be something to it."

"Look, Lin Yinyin and Han Xiangxiang are here!"

The crowd surged, making way. She Yuqi looked Lin Yinyin up and down, and seeing the prominent belly supported by Han Xiangxiang, she immediately understood what was happening.

Han Xiangxiang’s eyes were filled with provocation as she said urgently, "Sister Yinyin, promise me you won't hurt my sister, okay?"

Lin Yinyin threw off Han Xiangxiang’s hand and walked toward She Yuqi, staring coldly at her stunningly beautiful face. She Yuqi instinctively stepped back, keeping a distance from the pregnant woman. It was clear that Han Xiangxiang was stirring the pot.

She Yuqi rubbed her forehead in frustration. She wasn't afraid of inciting them—they were clearly willing to do anything to take revenge on her.

"You are She Yuqi?"

"Yes, I am. Is the child in your belly Duan Liuzi’s?" She Yuqi asked tentatively. Lin Yinyin nodded. "Yes, it’s his. I’m here today to ask: what is your relationship with him?"

Her eyes were unreadable. Just as She Yuqi was about to say there was no relationship, the matchmaker curled her lip and pulled out a scrap of fabric, triumphantly saying, "Deny it all you want, but I have proof."

"Everyone look! This is a scrap of the She girl’s clothing, left behind when she was rolling in the snow with Duan Liuzi."

She Yuqi blinked. *When did that happen?*

"Wow! It really is!"

She Yuqi: "..."

The gossip-hungry crowd didn't care about the truth; as long as there was drama, they were as energized as if they’d been given stimulants.

"It seems this She girl really is a slut, just like her sister!"

Han Xiangxiang: "???"

***

"I think... we can't just take a scrap of fabric and claim it belongs to the She girl, can we? What if Duan Liuzi has been harboring evil intentions and set a trap?"

"How could it be a trap? This slut runs to the county seat all the time. Not only is she involved with Duan Liuzi, but she’s also involved with Jiang Bei! I saw them sitting on an ox cart together, all cuddly, and just yesterday she went to Jiang Bei’s house to beg for half a pound of wild celery!"

"Lin Zhilan didn't even charge her money. Tsk tsk, that relationship is certainly not ordinary." Zhao Xiufen’s appearance drew the crowd's attention. Though they looked down on the power-hungry wife of the village head, they still feared her status. Many began to lean toward Zhao Xiufen’s side.

"Flies don't bite seamless eggs. I think the village head’s wife makes sense."

Han Xiangxiang couldn't help but speak up for She Yuqi. "Don't say that. My sister was just foolish. Sister, why don't you invite the matchmaker inside? Otherwise, what will happen to your reputation? How will you ever marry?"

"Why are you helping her? Can't you see she doesn't appreciate it?" Zhao Xiufen was annoyed with Han Xiangxiang and snorted.

Han Xiangxiang bit her lip, her eyes turning red. "I’m just looking out for you, sister. I can't bear to see you suffer."

As she spoke, she reached out to pull the matchmaker into the yard. She Yuqi seized the opportunity, grabbed Han Xiangxiang’s hair, and shouted, "Who do you think you are to make decisions for me? If you’re so eager to be in the spotlight, then you marry him!"

"Ah!" Han Xiangxiang shrieked.

"You..." The matchmaker, who had been smug, was terrified by the violent outburst and retreated, allowing someone to snatch the "evidence" from her hand.

The matchmaker turned, her voice rising an octave. "Where did this brat come from? Don't interfere!"

Jiang Bei’s appearance silenced the chaotic scene. The youth’s brow was sharp, his black eyes filled with a chilling indifference.

"The fabric in your hand is mine."

The moment he said this, even She Yuqi looked at him with confusion. Jiang Bei noticed her gaze, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Didn't you say... we were friends?"

She Yuqi froze for a moment, then smiled—a smile as bright and beautiful as spring flowers. "That’s right, we are friends."

"I paid 0.05 cents for the wild celery at your house yesterday, Auntie Xiufen, didn't you know?"

"You paid?" Zhao Xiufen clearly didn't believe it. Jiang Bei swept his gaze over the crowd, and Lin Zhilan stepped out awkwardly.

She glanced at Zhao Xiufen and squeezed out a helpless smile. "Xiufen, you must have seen wrong. I never intended to charge Yuqi. She said she and our Jiang Bei were just friends, and she secretly slipped me 0.05 cents anyway."

"I know about the ox cart to the county, but what proof do you have that they were being 'cuddly'?"

"Lin Zhilan, what do you mean by this?" Zhao Xiufen’s face turned red with anger as she pointed at Lin Zhilan.

Lin Zhilan smiled back. "You’ve ridden our ox cart too. Besides, Yuqi always pays her fare. You, on the other hand, always short us a cent or two, and we never complained, did we?"

"The village head will be back from the county soon. Shall we ask him to verify? I remember the village head helped Yuqi stop the cart last time because her sister had a high fever. A man of his position wouldn't lie, would he?"

Zhao Xiufen stammered for a long time, unable to utter a word. "How would I know? My husband saw it, that doesn't mean I did..."

"I’m not arguing with you!" Zhao Xiufen ducked through the crowd and took off running.

Han Xiangxiang was wailing on the ground, but no one paid her any mind.

"You say it’s your clothes, but how can you prove it?" The matchmaker tried to struggle, but Jiang Bei ignored her. He took out a garment and matched it with the scrap. Everyone swarmed to look.

"It fits!" someone howled.

"This is a man’s garment! How could it belong to the She girl?"

She Yuqi curled her lips into a mischievous smile. "You tried to slander me with this scrap—so now that it’s cleared up, do you want Jiang Bei to marry Duan Liuzi?"

Jiang Bei’s mouth twitched, and he turned away, shooting a resentful look at the guilty-looking She Yuqi.

"Sister Yinyin, my sister is truly ignorant. I can't help you anymore; she’s even hitting me now." Han Xiangxiang lay on the ground, tears streaming down her face, looking pathetic. But Liu Cuihua felt no pity; she quietly slipped out of the crowd and vanished.

Lin Yinyin suddenly covered her belly and burst into laughter. "Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter!"

Then, she collapsed onto the ground, and fresh blood began to flow from between her legs, staining her pants red.