Chapter 1404: Li Yunqiang
"What’s the matter, Old Zheng, are you thinking of matchmaking for Yunqiang?" Liu Dazhi asks with a smile.
"I’m just curious, Yunqiang has such good qualities, why is he still single?"
"What’s so good about my qualities? Four sons. The two older ones don’t need care, but the two younger ones still need to be raised."
Everyone started persuading Li Yunqiang, urging him to find a partner quickly.
"In the latter half of life, relying on children is not as good as having a close companion. You’re still young now, you can develop feelings if you get together now."
Li Yunqiang just smiles. He wants to find someone too, but there’s really no suitable match.
As Liu Dazhi was a former in-law, he has no barriers with Li Yunqiang. Since Cui Lan has already settled down, it’s reasonable for Li Yunqiang to do the same.
The lively full-month banquet ended. The village chiefs from several villages drank too much. Luckily, they all came with escorts, otherwise sending them back would take forever.
Zheng Jixian’s eyes were blurry; usually, this amount of alcohol wouldn’t make him drink like this.
With things on his mind, anxious and stressed, he felt dizzy and couldn’t control his limbs.
Li Yunqiang supported him, "Brother Zheng, how did you get here? Are you alone or did someone come with you?"
"I drove here myself." Zheng Jixian was slurring his words a bit.
"Why not come and sleep at my place, then go back when you wake up?" Li Yunqiang didn’t feel comfortable letting him return alone.
Though Zheng Jixian was slow to respond, he understood, "Okay, I’ll go to your place, I have something to talk to you about."
Li Yunqiang instructed his two younger ones to stay and help out. They would feed the horses in Zheng Family Village later, before he supported Zheng Jixian away.
After arriving home, he poured a bowl of water for him.
"Yunqiang, where’s the tobacco? Oh right, you don’t smoke."
"I have some at home, wait a bit."
Zheng Jixian smoked, "Yunqiang, today wherever the conversation leads, it leads."
"What’s the matter? Why so serious?"
"Yunqiang, you met my niece last time, right?"
"Have met her. Why? Want me to find a match in our village? How old is she?"
"Twenty-three."
"At twenty-three, really there isn’t a suitable match. Those of this age are already settled, the younger ones may not be right either."
"Yunqiang, what about you?"
"Me? Marry me?"
"Yeah, that girl has taken a liking to you."
Li Yunqiang was stunned. Taken a liking to himself? What is there to like? He has four children to take care of? She’s only twenty-three, while he is already thirty-six.
"Brother Zheng, let’s not discuss this matter, the difference is too great."
"Yunqiang, today I’m not afraid of embarrassment, I’ll speak frankly to you. Listen to me. If you’re interested, then take her."
Li Yunqiang didn’t want to listen, but Zheng Jixian started talking.
"My sister and brother-in-law are away, there are four kids in the family, she’s the eldest, she’s always grown up on the military base, this girl usually cares for her siblings, she’s definitely a good one.
But this girl has a simple mind. My brother-in-law wanted to find someone in the military for her, but since she grew up there she doesn’t want it, she said she’d rather be single than find someone like that.
To avoid her parents’ nagging, she signed up for countryside work.
By the time my brother-in-law found out, there wasn’t anything he could do, so finally he arranged to send her to my place.
This girl is good at everything, graduated middle school, she’s good at chores inside and outside the house. But her thinking is too naive. She likes scholarly-looking men.
Without me knowing, she got involved with a young intellectual in the village. If I hadn’t wanted to introduce her to Manjiang, I wouldn’t have known.
That man is also no good, there’s no way I could agree, although I was angry with her, I still let her see that man’s true colors, now she’s completely let go.
This girl has a strong character, she can move on without fuss. She lives at my place every day, diligently working the fields earning work points. I am relieved by this.
After meeting you last time, she told me."
Zheng Jixian paused here to continue smoking.
"Brother Zheng, this isn’t such a big deal."
"Yunqiang, that girl was slept with by that man, I sent him to the youth office a few days ago, whoever wants someone like that is welcome to him, but our Zheng Family Village doesn’t want him."
Li Yunqiang was stunned. After something like this, finding a good husband is impossible. But thankfully not many know about it, no rumors have spread.
Li Yunqiang squinted, bearing an expression that was remarkably similar to his brothers from the Li Family.
Zheng Jixian wanted him to marry such a woman. Initially, he thought she was young, unlike his older brother who married a younger one. He felt he didn’t suit young girls.
But she’s no longer a clean slate, it’s like she’s married now.
His situation is well known, four sons, sounding well but also a hefty burden.
Outsiders aren’t aware, but the second son already broke ties with the family. As for the eldest, he felt obliged, but still, two sons left to build houses and wed. But this too is burdensome.
"Yunqiang, consider it, initially I didn’t plan to speak to you about this. But the girl came to me, said she likes you, she’s aware of your situation.
I intended to find someone in our village for her, but she didn’t want it.
I have no other way. This niece is well-behaved, I treat her as my daughter, such a situation, entrusting her to someone else, I wouldn’t feel at ease, fearing someone else would shun her." Zheng Jixian finished speaking with a sigh.
It’s really difficult and also makes one angry, but more than that there’s heartache, this foolish girl, how will she spend the rest of her life? Finding someone suitable isn’t impossible, but fear remains of constant conflicts due to this.
Li Yunqiang is known for being sensible, knowledgeable. His qualities make it hard to find someone like this.
Therefore he contemplated for a long time, decided to talk to him; even if he disagreed, this matter wouldn’t spread.
Li Yunqiang recalled the girl, initially he didn’t pay attention, but she must be quite pretty.
But he’s already apprehensive. Afraid of encountering someone like Liu Cuilan again.
Such an age difference. The girl might be acting on impulse, and would regret in a few years, what would he do then?
Zheng Jixian observed Li Yunqiang, not speaking for quite a while, sighed, realizing the disagreement was expected, as the family’s girl was not sensible.
"Yunqiang, I’ll go back now. Just pretend you don’t know about this matter."
Li Yunqiang smiled, "Brother Zheng, let me escort you back."
"No need, I can manage." Zheng Jixian didn’t think much, waving his hand.