After spending a few years in the countryside, Xu Laidi had managed to build up some physical endurance.
After Su Fang fed her several bowls of fiery ginger soup, she broke into a sweat. While she was still coughing and is weak now, her condition was not serious.
Old bachelor Liu’s family came to visit they also brought an absurd betrothal gift: a basket of dried vegetable leaves and two eggs.
Onlookers couldn’t help but find the offering stingy and laughable.
In that basket, however, there was also a box. Old bachelor Liu’s mother went around loudly claiming it contained the family heirloom.
As she carried the box, she beamed with joy, telling everyone she was going to give it to her future daughter-in-law, shaking the box proudly in her hand.
“This is the family heirloom passed down to the family’s daughters-in-law. I’m taking it today as part of the betrothal gift.”
“Old lady Liu, what kind of treasure is it? Let us take a look!” someone asked.
Old lady Liu hugged the box tightly, putting on an air of mystery. “Oh, no, no! Only my future daughter-in-law can see it. I can’t break the rules.”
Standing beside her, old bachelor Liu grinned from ear to ear.
He was only in his thirties, yet his hunched back and weathered face made him look closer to forty.
Before long, thanks to old lady Liu’s dramatic proclamation, the entire village knew she was taking their so-called family heirloom to Xu Laidi as a betrothal gift.
Trailing behind the mother and son duo was a curious crowd eager to witness the spectacle.
As soon as they stepped into the educated youth dormitory, old lady Liu raised her voice in a cheerful greeting.
“Laidi, Laidi! Dakang and I have come to see you! We’re here to discuss your marriage to Dagan as well!”
Inside her room, Xu Laidi frowned deeply. She had already decided to feign illness and refused to come out.
Marry that old bachelor? Absolutely not.
When old lady Liu didn’t see Xu Laidi come out, she wasn’t in the least discouraged. Instead, she turned to the educated youths and struck up a conversation.
“You’ve all lived with our Laidi for so long. Tell me, what does she like? Once she’s part of our family, I’ll make sure she’s well cared for.”
Though it sounded like casual chatter, old lady Liu’s voice was loud enough for Xu Laidi to hear clearly, even through her blanket.
“My son is good in every way, except for the hardships life has thrown at him. It’s my fault as his mother for not giving him a better life, which is why he’s been unable to find a wife until now.
“But now, things have worked out. Everyone saw Laidi and my son hugging and kissing each other. We’re not the type to abandon someone. We have to take responsibility and marry her into our family, or it would ruin her reputation.”
Xu Laidi, unable to endure such slander, bolted out of her room, her face red with anger.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Yes, Liu Dakang saved me, but I never said I would marry him!”
Song Wei, watching from the side, smirked coldly. If it had been her brother in this situation, Xu Laidi would have clung to him, likely using accusations of impropriety to force a marriage.
Old lady Liu, however, was unfazed and responded mockingly, “Why are you getting so angry? You’re not exactly young anymore. My son only hugged and kissed you to save you, but after that, who else would be willing to marry you? Stop being so stubborn. Are you planning to remain single for the rest of your life?”
Xu Laidi couldn’t say she planned to stay single, but she absolutely refused to marry old bachelor Liu.
She had envisioned Song Jing rescuing her—not this old bachelor.
One was a dashing soldier with a bright future, while the other was poor, unattractive, and prematurely aged.
The gap between them was too vast, and Xu Laidi couldn’t accept it. Tears of humiliation welled up in her eyes as she scanned the courtyard, hoping to spot Song Jing.
But how could Song Wei allow her brother to get entangled in this mess? Xu Laidi had already caused enough trouble, and Song Wei wasn’t about to let her drag Song Jing into it.
Old lady Liu noticed Xu Laidi’s hesitation and softened her tone, switching to persuasion.
“I know marrying my son feels like a compromise for you. But I’ve brought a generous betrothal gift, just for you.”
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- Chapter 167 Heirloom
Chapter 167 Heirloom
After spending a few years in the countryside, Xu Lai Di actually did build up her body.
After Su Fang drank a few bowls of spicy ginger soup, she broke out in hot sweats. Although she has a cough and is weak now, overall it’s not a big deal.
Someone came to the house of old bachelor Liu, and what was outrageous was that he brought with him a basket of dried vegetable leaves and two eggs.
Others who see him think he is shabby and stingy.
Of course, there was also a box in the basket, and she kept saying that the box contained a family heirloom.
The mother of the bachelor Liu was smiling all the way. She told everyone she met that she was going to see her future daughter-in-law and even shook the box.
“This is a gift from our ancestors to my daughter-in-law. I will use it to propose to my future daughter-in-law today.”
“Hey, can you show us what treasure this old lady Liu has passed down from her ancestors?”
Mrs. Liu covered the box with her hands, looking mysterious: “No, this won’t do. Only my future daughter-in-law can see it. We can’t break the rules.”
Old bachelor Liu was laughing happily beside them.
He is obviously only in his thirties, but he is hunched over and his face looks more like he is in his forties.
In short, after she spread the word, everyone knew that she had brought the ancestral treasure to Xu Lai Di to propose marriage.
There were many people following the mother and son, all of whom came to watch the show.
As soon as she stepped into the gate of the Youth League Home, Old Lady Liu shouted in a festive voice.
“Laidi, Laidi, Dakang and I are here to see you, and we’d like to talk about your marriage with Dakang.”
Xu Lai Di in the room had a grim expression on her face. She decided to pretend to be sick and not go out.
She didn’t want to marry that old bachelor Liu!
When no one came out, Old Lady Liu was not in a hurry. Instead, she chatted with other people in the Youth League.
“You have been with my daughter Lai Di for such a long time, can you tell her what she likes? When she becomes my daughter-in-law, my family will not treat her badly.”
Although they were just chatting about family matters, the voices were loud enough that Xu Laidie could hear them.
She could hear the sound even though she was covered with the quilt.
“My son is good in every way, except that he has a hard life. It’s also my fault that I, as a mother, can’t give him a good life, so he hasn’t been able to find a wife until now.
Now, Xu Zhiqing and my son are hugging, kissing, and touching each other right under everyone’s noses. Our family will not be the unfaithful one. We must marry her back. Otherwise, wouldn’t that ruin Xu Zhiqing’s innocence?”
Xu Laidi was not someone who could endure it at all. How could she sit still after hearing that Old Lady Liu outside was saying such bad things about her reputation?
Song Wei and the old ladies gathered together and asked, “Guess when she will come out?”
Aunt Wang clicked her tongue twice: “I guess it will be soon.”
Sure enough, not long after, Xu Laidi ran out of the room.
She looked angry: “What are you talking about? I admit that it was Liu Dakang who saved me, but I didn’t say I wanted to marry her!”
Song Wei sneered. If it were her brother, Xu Laidi would have approached him long ago and might even threaten her brother with hooliganism.
People…are really double-standard.
“You can’t say that. Why are you so angry? You are already an old girl. Although my son kissed and touched you to save you, if you don’t marry my son, who else do you want to marry in the future?”
Old Lady Liu was also very good at talking: “Go ask our brigade, who else dares to marry you except my son? Xu Zhiqing, don’t be so angry. Do you really want to stay single for the rest of your life?”
Xu Laidi couldn’t say that she would never marry.
But she was determined not to marry the bachelor Liu.
It was clearly Song Jing who was supposed to save her, but in the end it was Old Bachelor Liu who came to save her.
One is a soldier who is good-looking and has a bright future career, while the other one comes from a poor family and is old and ugly.
The gap was too big for Xu Laidie to accept.
She was so aggrieved that she kept crying, and her eyes were darting around trying to find Song Jing.
But how could Song Wei let his brother come? He was entangled by the shameless Xu Lai Di and got into trouble for no reason.
“I know you feel a little wronged by marrying my son, but I’m here with a generous gift to propose to you.”
“Take these vegetables and eggs to nourish your body. We are poor and can’t afford anything good to take care of you. This is just a small token of my appreciation, so please accept it.”
Before Xu Laidi could throw away the basket in anger, old lady Liu took out the box and handed it to her.
“This box holds our family heirloom, passed down for generations to our daughters-in-law. If you agree, this treasure will be yours.”
The onlookers buzzed with curiosity. What could this heirloom possibly be?
Xu Laidi caught only one word—“treasure”—and her eyes lit up with greed.
She hesitated. Marrying Song Jing was no longer an option—he was leaving the village that very day, and she wouldn’t even get to see him one last time.
She reached out to open the box, but old lady Liu stopped her.
“Not yet, my dear. You can only see what’s inside after you agree to marry my son. This treasure is reserved for my future daughter-in-law alone.”
Xu Laidi hesitated again. She was already in her mid-twenties—a so-called “old maid.”
She thought of others who had married into the village. While they weren’t living extravagantly, they seemed to be doing fine. If she waited much longer, her only options would be widowers or divorced men.
“My son may not be handsome,” Liu Granny continued, “but it’s his first marriage. He’s the only son in our family, and as his mother, I promise to treat you well.”
Her words struck a nerve. Xu Laidi feared waiting any longer might mean losing her chance at marriage altogether.
Finally, her greed outweighed her pride. She clutched the box tightly and followed Liu Granny inside to discuss the betrothal.
With Song Jing out of the picture and the male youths in the hostel uninterested, why not see what the Liu family was offering? If she wasn’t satisfied, she could simply refuse.
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