TATLC Chapter 73

“Xiaocai is still so young, it’s too early to think about marriage,” Chen Xiaomi said.

“It’s not marriage, just an engagement.” The saying “strike first to gain advantage, strike later and suffer” probably made sense here. In his past life, many parents were contradictory. Before their children reached high school, they strictly forbade dating, treating teenage romance as some kind of rebellion.

But after college graduation, they rushed to push their kids to find partners. In many places, not getting married by thirty was even more frowned upon than teenage dating.

The older the children got, the lower many parents set their standards for choosing partners.

If they passed thirty, the guy’s parents were still okay, but many women’s parents might only have one requirement left for the male partner: as long as the gender was male, that was enough.

However, marriage was still about fate and timing.

Chen Xiaomi rolled his eyes and said, “Even for engagement, you can’t pick that kind of girl.”

He knew something about the Zheng family. That woman was a troublemaker. Even if her daughter was decent, having such a mother-in-law would mean she’d come knocking for favors every few days.

“So I didn’t agree,” Lu Lin said.

Lu Lin originally thought Aunt Zheng’s visit was just a coincidence, but then he found that people kept coming to propose marriage. Of course, they couldn’t be too obvious about it. They just brought their daughters over to walk around, let Chen Xiaocai get familiar with their faces, then chat with Lu Lin for a bit.

When Aunt Zheng met Lu Lin, she praised her own daughter to him, saying she was beautiful, smart, virtuous, and would bring prosperity to the family.

Although parents always think their children are the best, Lu Lin still felt Aunt Zheng’s words were a bit exaggerated. A little girl who hadn’t even grown up yet, how could you tell if she’d bring prosperity to the family?

What he thought was an isolated incident turned out to be anything but. Within days, Lu Lin was shocked by how popular Xiaocai had become. Aunt Zheng’s visit seemed to open floodgates, and then the flood rushed in. Even matchmakers came to ask Lu Lin what kind of girl Chen Xiaocai liked.

Lu Lin said with amazement, “I really didn’t expect so many girls would take a liking to Xiaocai.”

Lately, Lu Lin was constantly approached by people, all those very talkative aunties.

Once they locked onto him, they’d definitely chatter around him for a long time. The thing was, they meant no harm, and were always so friendly, so he couldn’t be too harsh.

Chen Xiaomi blinked. “It is a bit surprising.”

He had been worried that Xiaocai wouldn’t find anyone, but it turned out a bunch of people were fighting over him.

“As long as you have money, that’s all that matters,” Lu Lin said.

He hadn’t agreed to anyone’s proposal, but when some aunties chatted with him, they kept bringing up how grand Lu Chengyu’s wedding was, with thirty taels of bride price and a big red sedan chair. They were clearly hinting that Chen Xiaocai’s wedding should follow the same standard.

With Lu Lin’s current wealth, following that standard wouldn’t be a problem, but it really wasn’t necessary. Lu Lin still believed in not flaunting wealth, especially since he felt the security in ancient times wasn’t great. If they really followed that standard, the Lu and Chen families wouldn’t be able to sit still.

Lu Lin was drawing water in the courtyard when Chen Xiaocai walked over and tugged at Lu Lin’s sleeve.

Lu Lin glanced at Chen Xiaocai and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Xiaocai kept his head down, stayed silent for a while, then said with a red face, “Are people trying to arrange an engagement for me?”

Lu Lin nodded, “Yes, you’re pretty popular. A lot of girls in the village have taken a liking to you, including that Zhang Ya. They say she’s the village beauty.”

Personally, he didn’t see it. Why someone who looked as shriveled as a year-old dried bean was considered a beauty? But since everyone said so, maybe by local standards she was actually decent-looking.

Chen Xiaocai hung his head and said, “I don’t like those people. Don’t agree to any of them.”

He didn’t like any of the village girls at all. It wasn’t about looks or anything, but Chen Xiaocai felt these people liked him because they wanted an easy life. Now that his life was good, those people wanted to enjoy the benefits without working for them. He didn’t want that. Besides, he already had someone he liked.

Chen Xiaocai hesitated for a moment, but in the end didn’t say those last words.

Lu Lin nodded. “I’ve already turned them all down. You’re still just a tiny kid, what engagement! Work for a couple more years and save up some money for a wife first. It’s more meaningful if you earn the money yourself anyway. Your big brother and I still have to raise kids, we have a lot of expenses. Don’t expect much financial help from us when you get married.”

Chen Xiaocai pouted. “I know, I’m earning a really good wage now.”

Wan Li was bought by Lu Lin, so he only needed to provide food and didn’t really need to pay wages. But Lu Lin still gave him one and a half taels of silver per month. Now Chen Xiaocai had taken over Wan Li’s position with the same wages, plus commission. Chen Xiaocai’s wages were very high.

Chen Xiaocai patted his chest. “Don’t worry, I’ll save up for my own wedding.”

He felt very confident about saving up for his wedding. He was only eleven, and for marriage, he’d have to wait until at least thirteen or fourteen. His expenses weren’t very big either. If things continued this way, saving ten taels of silver a year wouldn’t be a problem. In three years, that would be over thirty taels.

Lu Lin thought, …This kid really is something else.

At the Zhang’s

“Mom, what did Lu Lin say?” Zhang Ya asked.

Her mother, Aunt Ma, sighed helplessly, “That brat Lu Lin said Chen Xiaocai is too young and won’t consider it.”

Zhang Ya let out a quiet “oh.” “Do you think Lu Lin didn’t even mention it to Chen Xiaocai?”

Aunt Ma had great confidence in her own daughter, so after being rejected by Lu Lin, she went directly to the store to talk to Chen Xiaocai. Chen Xiaocai said he was still young and didn’t want to get engaged.

That kid Chen Xiaomi was so clueless!

Zhang Ya actually didn’t like Chen Xiaocai. Among the village girls, Zhang Ya was considered good-looking, and many of the village boys liked to circle around her.

In her memory, Chen Xiaocai was thin and small, dry and shriveled. His grandmother always said Chen Xiaocai was unfilial and unlucky. Her grandmother said the same thing, saying the Chen brothers were all jinxes who caused their parents’ deaths, and told her not to get close to those three brothers to avoid catching their bad luck.

She remembered Chen Xiaocai always looked dirty, with torn and tattered clothes. Whenever she ran into him before, she would always avoid him from far away.

But recently everyone’s attitude had changed, saying Chen Xiaocai was good, that despite his young age, he was very capable.

Chen Xiaomi had money, and if she married Chen Xiaocai, Chen Xiaomi might be willing to pay thirty taels as bride price.

When Lu Chengyu got married, all the village kids ran to watch, and afterwards, the wedding’s grandeur was talked about for a long time.

Zhang Ya was persuaded by her mother for a long time before reluctantly agreeing to accept Chen Xiaocai, but she never expected they’d be completely one-sided in their enthusiasm.

She originally wasn’t too willing to marry Chen Xiaocai, but after being rejected, she felt somewhat wronged.

The first person in the village to approach Lu Lin about marriage was Aunt Zheng from the Zhang family. With her taking the lead, people gradually kept approaching Lu Lin.

In Zhang Ya’s view, it was natural that Aunt Zheng’s Zhang Qian got rejected. That girl was dark and fat, and had always badmouthed Chen Xiaomi. There was no way Chen Xiaocai would ever take a liking to her. But then, he didn’t like her either.

Zhang Ya originally felt Chen Xiaocai wasn’t good enough, that her family arranging her marriage to Chen Xiaocai was somewhat unfair to her. She never thought she’d also be rejected, and immediately felt deeply insulted.

“What kind of person does this Lu Lin even want to find for Chen Xiaocai?”

Aunt Ma thought to herself, Chen Xiaomi is not the same as before. This whole family works in town, Lu Lin and Chen Xiaomi earn over forty taels a year, and on top of that, Chen Xiaocai is also earning money. They should be able to save thirty or forty taels a year, maybe seventy or eighty taels in two years.

Several families approached Lu Lin wanting to arrange engagements, but Lu Lin turned them all down. Some people said that Lu Lin truly lived up to being from the Lu family. Just like Lu Chengyu, he looked down on village girls. He probably wanted to find a town girl. But Lu Chengyu was a scholar, while Chen Xiaocai was just a helper. Compared to Lu Chengyu, he was still far inferior.

Lu Lin rarely returned to the village, so village news didn’t reach his ears. He had no idea how angry the people he rejected were. But even if he knew, he wouldn’t care.

Granny Shen couldn’t stop worrying about their land in the village, so whenever she had time, she’d go back to tend to the family’s land.

Shen Chi sat in the cart, lost in thought.

Granny Shen drove the mule cart and said, “Ah Chi, are you alright?”

Shen Chi shook his head and said, “I’m fine.”

Recently, besides braiding knots, Shen Chi had been helping at the shop. He also knew about people from the village coming to propose to Chen Xiaocai. Shen Chi didn’t know why, but seeing those people proposing to Chen Xiaocai made him feel uncomfortable.

Granny Shen looked at Shen Chi and sighed inwardly.

She also thought Chen Xiaocai was good, but now the gap between their family and the Chen family was too big. Besides, she and her grandson had already received too much kindness from Lu Lin, so naturally they couldn’t ask for too much.

Shen Chi kept his head down and didn’t say anything.

After returning to the village, Granny Shen went out, and Shen Chi followed her.

“Shen Chi, are you going to the fields?” A fat woman saw Shen Chi and walked over.

Shen Chi nodded.

“Shen Chi, your wages aren’t small, right?”

Shen Chi shook his head and said, “Not much.” By braiding knots, Shen Chi could earn several hundred wen per month. Recently, he’d been helping at the shop, and Lu Lin said he’d raise his pay, but Shen Chi was too embarrassed to accept.

“If yours isn’t much, Chen Xiaocai’s should be earning a lot more. He’s the shopkeeper after all. Someone who can be a shopkeeper must earn at least over one tael, right? Who knows where Chen Xiaocai learned his accounting skills.”

Shen Chi didn’t speak. Arithmetic was also a skill, and people who knew it mostly kept it to themselves. They might teach family members, but if outsiders wanted to learn, they’d definitely have to pay a hefty tuition fee.

Shen Chi kept his head down. “Xiaocai earns more than me.”

“Well, if Chen’s second son earns more, that’s that. He doesn’t like any of the village girls. Did he take a fancy to you? The Chen family is really something now. Chen Xiaomi must have saved a lot of silver.” The fat woman looked Shen Chi up and down, her eyes full of contempt.

“I don’t know much about Brother Xiaomi’s affairs.”

“You’re so close to Chen Xiaocai, didn’t he tell you about his brother’s business?” The woman’s voice turned mocking and sarcastic.

Even though Shen Chi was slow to catch on, he understood what she meant now and couldn’t help but blush.

Granny Shen saw Zheng Min approaching Shen Chi and hurried over, “What do you want with my grandson?”

Aunt Zheng wasn’t easy to deal with and immediately retorted, “Granny Shen, why are you getting angry? I was just praising your grandson. He’s so young and already knows how to seduce men. He’s just a little Shuang’er, but he’s always showing his face in public, so shameless.”

“You fat bitch.” Granny Shen’s face turned livid with rage. She brandished a rake and swung it at Aunt Zheng.

Aunt Zheng kept arguing, “If you have the nerve to do it, you should have the nerve to hear it. A little Shuang’er getting so close to a young man, throwing himself at him…”

“You damned gossip! You’re talking nonsense! I’ll tear your mouth apart!”

After this trip to the village, where many people pointed fingers at him, Shen Chi couldn’t stay there any longer and returned to town.

After Shen Chi came back, his mood was obviously low.

---

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Please consider supporting the author directly.

You can also follow me on Ko-fi to get access to the latest updates on my translation progress and new projects. I appreciate your love and feedback.