Wang Xiaoyan’s blossoming hope for her happiness was abruptly withered, leaving her heart heavy. She couldn’t bear to stay a moment longer in this place.

“Xiao Cui, go fetch the coachman. We’re leaving today,” she said, her voice laced with sadness.

Xiao Cui nodded and quickly made the necessary preparations.

During the carriage ride back, Wang Xiaoyan continued to shed tears when the thoughts of her misfortune overwhelmed her.

Xiao Cui, at a loss for words, had offered comforting words multiple times, but it seemed her efforts were in vain. Her mind was exhausted from thinking of new ways to console her.

Upon their arrival home, Wang Xiaoyan’s older brother had just returned from playing ball. He saw his sister in tears and immediately inquired about the cause of her distress.

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Who upset you? Weren’t you at the temple praying? Why did you come back so early?” His rapid barrage of questions left Wang Xiaoyan speechless, choking back her sobs.

“Look at you. How did it look like a lady,” he remarked before walking away.

His lack of comfort further deepened Wang Xiaoyan’s despair. She felt like a failure.

.

In the dinner time. The Wang family maintained strict discipline.

The eldest member of the Wang family noticed an empty seat at the dinner table and inquired, “What’s going on? I heard she returned. Why hasn’t she come to dinner? She’s been sitting alone in her courtyard while the family is eating. What is she trying to achieve?”@@novelbin@@

Wang Chen quickly offered, “Grandpa, don’t be angry. I’ll have someone fetch my sister.”

Seeing this, a young family member was tasked with fetching Wang Xiaoyan, causing an uncomfortable atmosphere around the dining table. All eyes turned to her as she arrived late.

Wang Xiaoyan had never experienced such scrutiny before. She was forcibly taken from her yard while still overcome with sadness.

Seeing the disapproving looks of her family members, she pouted in anguish.

However, it was clear that her family had no intention of comforting her. Wang Di, as the family’s patriarch, held the most authority in terms of discipline.

“Explain yourself. Why have you returned so soon? Weren’t you supposed to pray for three days? And if you’re back, why haven’t you come to greet the family? It’s dinner time. You should be here,” he admonished her sternly.

Wang Xiaoyan lowered her head, her speech slurred, her tongue heavy from crying. After weeping for so long, she struggled to find her voice. “Yes, I’m sorry. I, I…”

Wang He was clearly upset, and his gaze shifted towards the maid, Xiao Cui.

Xiao Cui, understanding the situation, explained, “Today, Miss went to the Peach Blossom Forest and met a young man. She gave him a pouch, but he rejected it.”

Wang Xiaoyan nodded in anticipation, expecting her family’s support.

However, Wang Cheng, upon hearing this, questioned, “Did the young lady give him the pouch first?”

Xiao Cui nodded affirmatively.

Wang Cheng slammed the table in anger, exclaiming, “Do you have no sense of decency? A young lady giving a pouch to a young man? How shameless!”

Wang Xiaoyan was left speechless. This was not the outcome she had anticipated.

She looked bewildered as she gazed at her mother, brother, and grandfather, who all seemed furious.

With a million possibilities running through her mind, she was taken aback by this turn of events. She had always been one of the favored ones.

“He’s actually very handsome, and many people call him Liao-xiucai,” she added with a little laugh.

Wang Chen, who had remained silent, finally spoke up, “What’s wrong with Liao-xiucai?”

Wang Cheng, puzzled by his son’s enthusiasm, inquired further, “Why are you so interested in Liao-xiucai?”

“He is a teacher in the Qingshan Academy. Liao-xiucai is a young scholar in his twenties, and he holds a significant position as the chief of the town’s Ministry of Industry. He’s quite a prominent figure here. He’s also the only one promising in his family. I must say, my sister has excellent taste.”

Hearing this, Wang Xiaoyan smiled through her tears, “I have great taste, Brother. You have no idea how gentle he is.” She thought of the moment under the peach blossom tree, naturally inserting herself into the scene.

Meanwhile, in the study, the grandfather and grandson were having a private conversation.

“Do you think your sister can marry into the Liao family?”

“I believe she can. A lady should have both good looks and a respectable family. As a man, wouldn’t he appreciate such a girl?”

“What about him? She was already rejected.”

“I heard from my younger sister that it’s because his wife is nearby. He’s the one from the Huang family.”

“The Huang family?” Wang Dudu took a few sips of tea, “This tiger wife! He’s not a gentle person.”

Wang Chen felt a twinge of bitterness. That person had actually gotten married so well. He had thought he’d remain single all his life.

“If it’s him, this matter might be possible. Huang Yujin isn’t one to be underestimated, but the Wang family isn’t inferior to him.”

As the three of them conversed, they believed that this matter had potential.

As for where to use the path, they chose Liao Tingyu’s parents, who were the most vulnerable.

In their view, it was a virtue passed down from their ancestors that a man who tills the soil can raise such an accomplished son.

As long as they received a certain sum of money, they would relent.

Parents’ orders were not to be violated.

.

Liao Ming had been looking at which chicken might be near death. Since he had tasted beggar’s chicken the previous night, its flavor had lingered on his palate. He was just checking to see if there were any chickens on the verge of death so he could have another meal at noon.

Mother Deng watched him roam around the chicken coop and finally said, “Stop pacing. With your son’s strength, he won’t be able to kill them. I checked last night, and they were just slightly injured, losing a few feathers.”

Liao Ming grumbled, “That kid is utterly useless. He can’t even kill a chicken.”

“That’s a reasonable assessment. If he were to kill them all, I’m sure you’d be mourning for a long time,” replied Mother Deng, despite not liking the way her husband spoke about her son. However, she couldn’t say much more.

Liao Ming gazed at the lively chickens with a tinge of regret, “The brat said that you can make beggar’s chicken with a small-sized chicken, and it tastes even better. When are we going to buy one?”

“Who would ever use a small-sized chicken for that? You don’t even understand the basics. Besides, why are we buy small chicken? We have a lot here.” Mother Deng thought her husband had lived in the town for far too long and had lost touch with the real world.

Around that time, the Wang family came for a visit.

They spotted a chubby baby in a cradle, with a couple bustling about nearby. The business in the store seemed to be thriving, selling tofu skin, which they had struggled to copy for a long time.

They recalled their fruitless quest for the tofu skin recipe and were surprised to find it at Liao Tingyu’s family’s shop.

Wang Cheng adjusted his expression and approached with a friendly smile.

“Is this the home of Liao-xiucai?”

Liao Shi, puzzled by these unfamiliar faces, answered truthfully, “No, Liao-xiucai lives on East Street.”

“But I heard from people around here that Liao Tingyu used to live here.”

“Oh! He and I are separated. After getting married, he naturally returned to his own home.”

“Separated?! So, you’re Liao-xiucai’s brother,” Wang Cheng said with enthusiasm.

Liao Shi was a little puzzled. No one in the town knew that he was Liao Tingyu’s brother. He examined these newcomers and looked at Wen Xiuer for assistance, asking, “How can I assist you?”

“Yes, sister-in-law, do you know if the elders at home? We need to speak with them,” said Wang Cheng.

Wen Xiuer gave them a shrewd look and inquired, “Regarding my brother-in-law?”

Wang Cheng wore a cheeky smile as he replied.

Realizing that they weren’t going to leave easily, Wen Xiuer decided to invite them inside.

Back at the restaurant, Liao Tingyu and Huang Zilan was enjoying food, and conversation with Huang Hao when they noticed the sister-in-law leading three unfamiliar men into the house.

Huang Hao, intrigued, asked, “What’s happening over there? Is that your sister-in-law?”

Huang Zilan peered over to see, “Yes, that’s my big brother and sister-in-law.”

Liao Tingyu frowned, “Zilan, come with me. We should check it out.”

Huang Zilan nodded and left the restaurant with Huang Hao staying behind.

He brough the dishes with flatters, “Wife, you should try this signature dish; it’s absolutely delicious. Take a bite first!”

.

Liao Tingyu and Huang Zilan, both feeling quite anxious, rushed to the house. They were weighed down by concerns. Liao Tingyu, despite being an official for several months, couldn’t help but wonder about the sudden attention.

Huang Zilan was worried about the attempts to approach them, which indicated some underlying motive. Huang Zilan could recognize them as from the Wang family and the woman they met in the temple was from the same family.

Sure enough, there would be people who couldn’t leave a big piece of fat all alone. They just have to try to take a bite.

Back at the house, Mother Deng received the news that they had come to propose marriage for her son. She was shocked and stuttered, “Don’t you know that my son is already married? He’s been married for three months.”

“We are aware of this, but you see, a ger isn’t as good as daughters. Daughters are better for producing heirs. Additionally, the girls from our family are precious and beautiful, she will be the wife once being married. Our Wang family is no less prestigious than the Huang family,” Wang Cheng explained.

Liao Ming interjected, “Wait a minute, ‘wife’? Those of us from the countryside only end up with another wife if our previous wives pass away. Our son still has his wife.”

Wang Cheng was adamant, “Your son will definitely pass the Jinshi examination. He is on a trajectory to succeed. How could there be only one in the family at that time?”

Wang Cheng continued, trying to sway Liao Ming and his wife, “We should speak candidly, and let me clarify that these gers might have at most three kids in their lifetime, and their pregnancy might come late. Consider the fact that the Huang family has such a vast estate, but only have just one child. Maybe…”

His words left an unsaid implication that struck a nerve.

Only then did the couple truly grasp the underlying issue. They couldn’t forget that they had seen cases where a family’s lineage stopped with a single child. This implied that their family line could become extinct.

Just as Liao Ming was starting to get anxious again, Liao Tingyu arrived swiftly, determined and confident.

“Whatever the matter may be, it is none of your business. In the Liao family, I will have only one wife in my life, whether I’m rich or poor. You should take your gifts and leave. We are not interested.”

Mother Deng wanted to respond, but Liao Tingyu used his gaze to silence her.

The three members of the Wang family were clearly caught off guard by Liao Tingyu’s swift arrival, and it seemed that their intentions were futile.

As Wang Cheng left, he exchanged a glance with Huang Zilan, and whispered, “Fake.”

Huang Zilan responded coldly with a knowing look, anticipating the satisfaction that would soon follow.

Mother Deng felt somewhat displeased. She glanced at Huang Zilan and then at her son.