Chapter 16: We Are Not a Good Match

Chapter 16: We Are Not a Good Match

Wei Zhao, whose brain had been rattled, radiated a heavy, oppressive aura.

He was truly annoyed.

But Wei Shuzhong was hovering nearby, chattering incessantly.

"Do you remember? When you were six, you got into a fight with kids your age. You didn't win, and you even chipped a tooth. You cried all the way home."

Wei Zhao:...

That was truly a coward.

He stared blankly at the ceiling without blinking.

Wei Shuzhong: "You used to be such a crybaby."

Wei Zhao:...

Ever since his father passed away, he had forgotten what tears even were.

No matter what Wei Shuzhong said, he remained unmoved.

Old Man Qian entered from outside carrying medicine.

"Drink your medicine. Boy, aren't you part of the Wei Army? Once you've recovered, when General Wei's coffin passes through Ze County, you can still go and kowtow to it."

*Mm.*

*He'll kowtow to himself.*

Old Man Qian often sold the herbs he gathered from the mountains in the county and towns, so he gathered a lot of news.

"That General Wei was the only child of the Duke of Shun's household. I heard that when the news of his death reached the capital, the Duchess of Shun collapsed from illness immediately."

Wei Zhao's eyes remained hollow.

"The Emperor lost a beloved general and even canceled several morning court sessions because of it."

Wei Zhao continued to be hollow.

"The Heir of the Marquis of Zhongyong refused to believe it. With bloodshot eyes, he beat up the soldier who brought the news. He said General Wei hadn't even repaid the silver he borrowed from him."

Wei Zhao continued to be hol...

His eyes flickered.

*Nonsense!*

Wei Shuzhong was shocked: "Would General Wei be so poor that he'd borrow money from outsiders? There's no one left to testify; it's just that Heir making things up."

Old Man Qian: "After the news spread, many prominent people who admired General Wei went to the Heir of Zhongyong to demand justice, telling him not to slander the dead."

"But the Heir said that money was used to improve the rations of the Wei Army."

"The people who chased him down were moved to tears, saying General Wei was indeed selfless and that it was exactly the kind of thing he would do. Not long after, many households began visiting under General Wei's name to offer help in repaying the debt."

Wei Zhao:...

He didn't even need to guess.

Xiao Huaiyan was accepting every offer; he was about to strike it rich.

Making money even off the dead.

A trace of a cold sneer finally escaped Wei Zhao's lips.

————

After settling into the old house, Yu Tingwan did not regain any more memories from her past life.

Once the wound on her leg had scabbed over, Li Lian brought good news.

"Wan-niang, get yourself ready to come with me. Butcher Wu is at my house right now."

Yu Tingwan's eyes lit up. There wasn't much to prepare, so she simply combed her hair a bit neater.

"Mother, I'm ready."

Seeing that she might be cold, Li Lian layered as many clothes as she could on her. She looked a bit bulky, and the patches on her clothes were numerous, causing Li Lian to frown.

But she knew it wasn't that Yu Tingwan didn't care; the outermost layer was likely Yu Tingwan's best clothing.

Still, the girl was naturally beautiful; even draped in rags, her grace could not be suppressed.

The Village Head's house wasn't far from here. Li Lian chatted with her as they walked.

"Why are you shivering?"

Was it still cold?

Yu Tingwan whispered, "I'm nervous."

Li Lian: "I saw that he seems quite sincere. When I mentioned it before, he agreed immediately."

"Your match has a high chance of succeeding."

"He won't look down on you."

Yu Tingwan nodded, then turned with a very serious expression: "What if I look down on him?"

She would have to start searching all over again.

Just thinking about it made her worried.

Li Lian choked:...

A woman heading to the vegetable patch ran into them and asked with a smile, "Where are you two going?"

Li Lian didn't mention the matchmaking and followed suit with a smile: "Taking Wan-niang to my house for a visit."

The Village Head's house was the most grand in Linxi Village. They kept many chickens, which were pecking in the courtyard.

The family had let Li Lian take the girl out, fearing that too many people would make them feel uncomfortable.

Butcher Wu sat restlessly, glancing outside from time to time.

The Village Head had originally thought this marriage was quite good. But after seeing Yu Tingwan's calm demeanor last night, he felt that Butcher Wu was currently not quite a match for her.

He shook his head silently: "You aren't as steady as a young lady."

"The situation with Wan-niang... your wife told you, right?"

"She did."

In front of him, Li Lian showered Yu Tingwan with praise.

She said the girl was decisive and beautiful.

In matchmaking, one always praises the best qualities.

Butcher Wu didn't take it to heart.

It wasn't until Li Lian led the lovely girl inside that he stared blankly, momentarily losing his ability to react.

Yu Tingwan was also sizing him up.

!!!

His skin was dark, and his looks weren't particularly handsome, but he wasn't ugly either.

His clothes were clean and looked new; she wasn't sure if he had just bought them, but it was clear he took this meeting seriously.

He was tall and sturdy, looking like he had strong fists.

The Village Head kicked Butcher Wu: "Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Have some backbone."

Butcher Wu snapped out of it and hurriedly hid his hand, which was missing a finger, under the table: "I... I..."

Yu Tingwan gave him a bright, generous smile.

Seeing this, Li Lian knew what was happening.

"Sit, everyone, sit."

She poured hot water for Yu Tingwan to warm her body.

"I won't bother with formal introductions. We are all straightforward people, and you are both at the age for marriage, so there's no need for pretenses."

She intentionally left them to talk: "Old man, the clothes outside are washed but not yet dried. Come over and help me."

She wasn't afraid of leaving the two of them alone in the room; after all, the door was open, and she could keep an eye on them from the courtyard at any time.

Her actions were quite tactful.

Before leaving, she added one more thing.

"Xiao Wu, many people in the village saw you coming. After what happened last night, it's not good for me to keep Wan-niang here too long."

The implication was clear: speak quickly if you have something to say.

Li Lian could actually hear the conversation inside.

Normally, the man should take the initiative in such matters, but what she heard was Yu Tingwan's uninhibited voice.

"Do you know how to cook?"

Butcher Wu nodded hurriedly.

Yu Tingwan was very tactful: "I'm not very good at cooking."

Before coming over, Butcher Wu had thought that if the girl was decent enough, he would settle the matter so they wouldn't reject each other.

Once he had a wife, his three meals a day would be taken care of.

But now...

Butcher Wu didn't dare look at Yu Tingwan too much, but the joy in his eyes was impossible to hide. He said, "My parents died early; I'm used to doing these things."

Yu Tingwan: "How much dowry do you plan to provide?"

"How much do you want?"

Butcher Wu: "I only brought three taels of silver with me this time. See if that's enough."

In Linxi Village, three taels was considered quite respectable.

But he felt some regret; if he had known, he would have brought more.

"I don't have many relatives, and I don't usually socialize with neighbors. My house has three rooms and a kitchen, and there's a well in the courtyard, so fetching water is easy. I make my living slaughtering pigs, so I have no fields; you won't have to work the land."

"I've saved some silver over the years. After deducting the dowry, I estimate there's about six taels left. I'll hand it all over to you later."

"..."

He spoke until his throat was dry, revealing his entire hand. Finally, he asked cautiously.

"What do you think of me?"

Yu Tingwan took a sip of water: "Let's find a date before the end of the year and get this done."

Butcher Wu was overjoyed. He tried to ask

"Alright, then should I go to your aunt's house now?"

Yu Tingwan was slightly stunned.

"I've moved into an empty house in the village."

"I heard."

Butcher Wu: "The dowry should be given to the elders."

"Just give it to me. Lady Wang won't be preparing my dowry anyway."

"It's fine, harmony brings prosperity. Just consider it a small loss."

He said, "I know she hasn't treated you well, but there are some things regarding elders that one shouldn't be too calculating about."

"You can't cut ties completely; your maiden family is your support."

He spoke from the heart.

However, Yu Tingwan's expression turned completely cold.

She was never one to drag things out.

She stood up: "I think we are not a good match."

Yu Tingwan: *I'm not very good at cooking.*

Wei Zhao said nothing.

Yu Tingwan kicked him.

He looked utterly despondent and said dryly: "Then let's just starve together."

(End of Chapter)