The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 490 - 488: Reassuring Pill

Chapter 490: Chapter 488: Reassuring Pill

Father Liu coughed, giving Mother Liu a significant look.

Only then did Mother Liu hesitantly begin, "My dear niece Yongzhu, as you have seen, we both are quite fond of this child, Yongping. Our Xiao Qiao—"

At this point, Mother Liu also felt somewhat awkward. Normally, such matters should be initiated by the male family head. According to traditional customs, a matchmaker should first be sent to express that the Wang Family’s Fourth Child has taken a liking to the Liu Family’s daughter and wishes to ask for her hand in marriage.

Then the Liu Family should take a day or two to consider the proposal before agreeing to the matchmaker.

Only after that should the matchmaker go back to the Wang Family with the message and bring the Wang Family to formally ask for the marriage, in accordance with proper etiquette.

But it wasn’t as if the two families lived far apart; and now that the head of the Wang Family was an unmarried young woman, they inevitably needed to get past Wang Yongzhu first before discussing further matters.

Mother Liu found it really difficult to broach the topic. There was a saying, "One looks up when marrying off a daughter, but lowers one’s head when taking a wife."

When had the bride’s family ever rushed to bring up such a matter? How would one’s own daughter be able to hold her head high in her in-laws’ home afterward?

So having said a few words, Mother Liu became tangled up, and no matter how much Father Liu signaled, she simply wouldn’t continue.

Wang Yongzhu might not fully understand the intricacies of these customs, but she knew the principles of how to behave.

Although she felt that the matter of the marriage between the two families was not up to her, being merely a younger sister, this was something that should be discussed with Old Granny Zhang and Wang Laozhu.

But since the Liu Family had acted this way, there must have been their reasons.

At this moment, whatever the circumstance, the bride’s family could not be the ones to bring it up first.

Seeing that Mother Liu struggled to continue, Wang Yongzhu hurriedly picked up the conversational thread with considerate understanding, "Auntie Liu, look at what you’re saying. If you and Uncle value and like my Fourth Brother, that is his good fortune, and it is also a bond between our two families. Speaking of Sister Xiao Qiao, not only do I get along with her, but my mother also dotes on her a lot."

These words were like giving the Parents of the Liu Family a reassuring pill.

There was no need to say much more. To settle Mother Liu’s heart, Wang Yongzhu deliberately took her aside and whispered comfortingly, "Auntie, rest assured, when I go down the mountain and return home this time, I will definitely talk to my mother about it, so she and my father will come in person. My Fourth Brother was once betrothed, and I’m sure your family knows about that, don’t you?"

Upon hearing this, Mother Liu’s face showed an embarrassed expression. Did this girl know about their family trying to ensnare their Fourth Brother?

Wang Yongzhu didn’t overthink it. If she were in their shoes, wanting to marry off a daughter and finally finding a suitable young man, she would certainly want to investigate thoroughly. It concerns her daughter’s happiness for a lifetime, doesn’t it?

Moreover, being such an honest person, Fourth Brother, the benefactor of the Liu Family, would be even less likely to hide anything.

Her intention behind these words wasn’t to admonish the Liu Family, but rather to lay the groundwork for what was to come, "Auntie also knows, my Fourth Brother’s previous engagement was broken off for some reasons. Initially, my parents wanted to find another match for Fourth Brother right away, but he was against it, claiming to be fearful. He insisted on choosing a bride he liked himself, and my parents, unable to persuade him, just acquiesced at that time."

The implication was clear: as long as Wang Yongping was willing, there would be no one in their family opposed to it.

Mother Liu’s heart settled back down completely, and with a smile, she took Wang Yongzhu’s hand, "My niece Yongzhu, you’re going to have to put in a lot of effort for this! Our Xiao Qiao is an extremely straightforward child with no cunning about her. She speaks frankly, so if there’s anything awkward in the future, please bear with her!"

Wang Yongzhu laughed, "Auntie, you are too polite. Sister Xiao Qiao is wonderful, and I like her very much! If we truly become one family in the future, I would even need to ask Sister Xiao Qiao to bear with me then!"

After finishing tidying up the bowls and chopsticks outside the house, Liu Xiaoqiao walked to the door and just happened to hear that sentence. The heart she had been holding up finally settled down—the Wang Family had agreed.

With this relationship established, the next day, the people of the Liu Family were exceptionally polite and enthusiastic.

Because there was a rush for time, Wang Yongzhu decided to first transport the backlog of mountain goods down the hill, and to inform her family in passing that Wang Yongping had taken an interest in the Liu Family’s young lady so that the Wang Family could prepare properly.

In a few days, she would return to the mountain, ensuring that neither the proposal nor collecting the goods would be delayed.

The Liu Family also agreed that since the two children were interested in each other, it would be better to settle matters early to prevent any potential complications.

The family helped carry the mountain goods and secured them onto the horse cart.

Wang Yongzhu pulled Wang Yongping aside to an uninhabited part of the courtyard. Since Wang Yongping had drunk a bit too much the night before and had gone to bed early, she had not found the chance to ask him.

Now that she was about to go down the mountain to report to their parents, it was naturally time to ask the person involved about his thoughts.

Wang Yongping was very straightforward, "Sister, I’ll have to trouble you. I can’t go back now, and I’m not very eloquent, afraid that I might not express myself well and cause our parents to misunderstand the Liu Family. You have a way with words. When you go back, just tell our parents that I have my eye on Sister Xiao Qiao and that I want to marry her as my wife. Please ask them to put in some effort!"

Having said that, he unusually took Wang Yongzhu’s hand, "Sister, please speak well of Sister Xiao Qiao in front of mother. She’s a good girl, capable and considerate. Her heart is in the right place too, not the kind to make trouble out of nothing and disrespect the elderly. Once she marries me, she will definitely treat our parents well!"

Wang Yongzhu did not expect the usually simple-minded man to become somewhat shrewd when he had a special someone in his heart, even knowing to ask her to speak well of him to Old Granny Zhang.

"Have you thought this through? This is a lifelong commitment. Once the engagement is set, you can’t back out! Otherwise, I’ll beat you up before our parents do, understand?" Wang Yongzhu had to confirm one last time; she was worried that Wang Yongping was offering marriage due to a debt of life-saving gratitude.

"Sister, don’t worry! I’m not confused anymore! I’ve thought it through clearly. When I am with Sister Xiao Qiao, I can’t express the happiness and joy I feel! I... I have set my heart on her for this lifetime!" Wang Yongping’s demeanor was unusually solemn, his eyes gleaming with indescribable joy whenever he mentioned Liu Xiaoqiao.

Wang Yongzhu felt reassured.

She patted Wang Yongping’s shoulder, "That’s good! Since you like her, you must treat her well for a lifetime! Otherwise, I, as your sister, won’t let you off!"

Wang Yongping nodded, "Sister, I will treat her well! As long as I have a bite to eat, she will have a bite too..." Fearing Wang Yongzhu wouldn’t believe him, he even made a heartfelt promise.

Wang Yongzhu teased him, "Save those words to assure the Liu Family! When you set the engagement, say this in front of everyone, and I guarantee that Uncle Liu and his family will think highly of you."

After speaking, she shook her head with a laugh and turned to leave.

Aside from Old Granny Zhang, Wang Yongping was the kindest person to her. He was stepping out from the shadow of Li Jinzhi, about to get married, start a family, and have children.

Wang Yongzhu was also glad for Wang Yongping in her heart.

When she got back to the Liu Family Courtyard, the mountain goods were all packed, and Song Chongjin was waiting for her.

Wang Yongzhu bid farewell to the Liu Family and, amid their enthusiastic send-off, jumped onto the horse cart and slowly departed.