novelhk Chapter 43 Many troubles arise at the widow's door; matchmakers arrange marriages.
Chapter 43 Many troubles arise at the widow's door; matchmakers arrange marriages.
The two walked outside the courtyard, and Meng Fuqing asked directly, "Young Master Xie, what do you think your companion is worth?"
Xie Jin smiled slightly: "If that's how you put it, young lady, I think he's worthless."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted from Meng Fuqing's profile to the distance, where a little girl was standing on tiptoe looking in their direction in front of the gate of a house in a lower-lying area.
He subtly withdrew his gaze and looked back at Meng Fuqing, whose expression was calm but whose eyes were full of impatience.
This person is utterly shameless. Meng Fuqing should have known this when they first met. To deal with him, you have to be even more shameless than him.
"If I'm not mistaken, you are the people wanted by the government in Qingping County. Since I didn't report you, it's like I saved you once. Considering you're down on your luck, just give me another two hundred taels of silver, and consider the carriage a gift from me."
“It’s not an exorbitant demand.” Xie Jin nodded, approving of Meng Fuqing’s actions. “Even if you hadn’t come to collect the debt, I would have thanked you personally.”
He took out three silver notes, saying, "I was too presumptuous when we first met. These are both an apology and a thank you for not reporting me to the county government."
That's pretty good.
Meng Fuqing casually accepted it, saying, "Then I won't stand on ceremony."
She turned to look for Meng Ranran, but heard the young man behind her speak again, "My name is Xie Jin. May I ask your name, young lady?"
“Meng Fuqing”.
As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Fuqing walked into the courtyard.
Mu Feng sat on the wall, puzzled, and said, "Is she trying to extort money from you, young master? You used to kill people like that on the spot. And the day you bought the carriage, I saw you take a thousand taels of silver with my own eyes."
Xie Jin glanced at him and said, "If you can get one hundred taels of silver back from her, then go to the county government and turn yourself in."
After saying that, he turned and went into the courtyard.
Mu Feng muttered in confusion, "Whose side are they on anyway?"
When Meng Linlang, who was standing at the door of her house, saw Xie Jin's back as he turned around, she froze on the spot.
This figure had appeared in her dreams several times, not because the person's face was blurry, but because she didn't dare to look up and look directly at the person's face in her dreams. Each time, she would only dare to raise her head after the person had left.
With her mind blank, Meng Linlang had only one thought in her mind: How did he end up here? And he even knows Meng Fuqing?
It's all in chaos, complete chaos.
Meng Linlang returned to her room in a daze, her mind filled with all sorts of chaotic thoughts. She wanted to correct everything, but how could she do it?
She had never thought of bringing forward what happened in her dream; she had been careful to let things take their natural course. But now she couldn't wait any longer.
Meng Linlang's dim eyes gradually hardened; she had to do it.
After handing Meng Ranran over to Doctor Zheng, Meng Fuqing and Meng Wan'er went home separately.
At home, Shan Qiyu and Yao Shanyun were trying to season the pot. Neither of them had any experience. It was Yao Shanyun who heard that Meng Fuqing had bought an iron pot. She remembered hearing that iron pots needed to be seasoned so that they wouldn't stick after a long time.
The man didn't speak carefully, and she listened even less carefully, so the two of them had to try while talking.
"The iron pot that Qingqing bought is really big and beautiful. I've never seen such a good one in town. If my family can save up enough money to buy a pot, you should ask Qingqing to buy one for us too."
Her family wants to buy an iron pot, but who knows when that will be? She's just envious, but that's all she says.
“Just tell me when the time comes, Auntie,” Meng Fuqing said as she approached and saw that the two were a bit flustered. “The blacksmith’s master taught me, so let me do it.”
"Qingqing's back." Shan Qiyu straightened up. "Okay, you give it a try."
In the apocalypse, Meng Fuqing's only pleasure was reading the books in her spatial dimension. She learned many skills that were rather useless to her, and cooking was one of them.
She first washed the iron pot again with soapberry, dried it inside and out, turned the stove to high heat and heated the pot in circles for a while, then scooped some oil into it and kept spreading the oil inside the pot. After a while, she washed it again with clean water and dried it. She then cut off a small piece of pork fat that she had bought earlier and spread it back and forth inside the pot. Finally, she washed it once more and dried it. The pot was then ready to be seasoned.
The large iron pot gleamed and shiny, making one feel cheerful just looking at it.
Yao Shanyun praised, "How can you do everything? When you get married, your husband's family will be laughing in their sleep!"
Meng Fuqing smiled but didn't say anything; this praise was less effective than scolding her.
She understood these people's thinking; once a girl grows up, she belongs to her husband's family, even if that family doesn't exist yet. These ideas were deeply ingrained and couldn't be changed by a few words, so she was too lazy to waste her breath.
Just as I was about to slip away, there was a knock on the door.
Bang bang bang.
Is anyone there?
A woman wearing a red flower in her hair poked her head out. Seeing the three people in the yard, she smiled before even speaking, "Oh! Sister, good news, great news!"
She walked into the courtyard on her own, came up to the three of them, and looked at Meng Fuqing, "This must be your eldest daughter, right? I heard she's pretty, but I never imagined she was such a beautiful girl. You're truly blessed!"
Shan Qiyu didn't recognize the woman, but could tell from her attire that she was a matchmaker. She asked warily, "Who are you...?"
The matchmaker adjusted the large red flower at her temple, beaming with joy. "I am Wang, the matchmaker from town. You can ask around; my reputation is excellent in the surrounding villages! I've come to your house to act as matchmaker."
Meng Fuqing had a bad feeling, and sure enough, the next moment she heard the matchmaker say—
"Do you know the Li family in town? They are the richest family in our town besides the Lin family. Master Li is extremely wealthy, honest, and good-tempered. Apart from being a bit old, he is truly a perfect match, and he would be a perfect match for your daughter!"
When the three heard the phrase "older," they thought they were there to arrange a marriage for Shan Qiyu. After hearing this, Shan Qiyu turned cold, picked up a broom, and tried to chase them away without saying a word.
Before the broom could even be raised, there was another commotion at the door.
Bang bang bang.
Is anyone there?
Another woman wearing a red flower in her hair peeked out from outside the door. When she saw the four people in the courtyard, especially one of them who was obviously dressed as a matchmaker, she was stunned and forgot what she had just thought of to say.
Matchmaker Wang was also taken aback. Wasn't this her mortal enemy?
Meng Fuqing, Shan Qiyu, Yao Shanyun: ...
If it weren't for the matchmaker standing in the courtyard, they would have thought their memories were playing tricks on them.
Meng Fuqing asked the person at the door, "Are you also here to arrange a marriage? What's your name? Who invited you? Who are you arranging a marriage for?"
The matchmaker at the door: ...
Having been a matchmaker for so many years, I've never seen a young girl so impatient.
She took small steps into the courtyard, insisting on finishing her lines: "A joyous occasion, a very joyous occasion..."
Meng Fuqing had somehow swung his rattan cane out again, saying, "Hurry up and speak, I don't have time to listen to your rambling."
Seeing Meng Fuqing's intimidating demeanor, the two matchmakers simultaneously had the same thought: How can such a strong-willed girl ever get married!
Meanwhile, Tian, the matchmaker, secretly rejoiced. She glanced at Wang, the matchmaker, cleared her throat, and said, "I am Tian, the matchmaker from town. I'm here to arrange a marriage for the Yang family in town. The girl is from the Shan family."
She looked at Shan Qiyu.