Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

In the Liu Family’s main house, Fatty Liu stared at his third son, a bit stunned. ’He actually likes Juhua, and wants me to go to the Zheng Family to ask for her hand? Zheng Changhe has already reached an agreement with Zhang Dashuan; all that’s left is for them to send the betrothal gifts. What kind of mess would it be for me to get involved now?’

Sanshun’s mother sat to one side sewing a shoe sole. She had some idea of what was on her third son’s mind and agreed that Juhua was a fine girl. But no matter how fine she was, she was about to get engaged to Huai Zi. It wasn’t as if they could just show up at their door and force a marriage.

She spoke to Sanshun in a gentle voice. "Sanshun, Juhua is a wonderful girl, but she’s about to be engaged to Huai Zi. We can’t interfere. Wouldn’t that just make things difficult for your Uncle Zheng?"

Fatty Liu nodded. "Zheng Changhe and Zhang Dashuan are both decent men. We can’t do something like this; it’ll just make all three of our families miserable. Besides, it would be useless even if we went. They’ve already set the date for the betrothal gifts. If you’d spoken up sooner, I would’ve swallowed my pride and gone to ask for you. I wouldn’t have cared if people accused me of shamelessly trying to marry into the Zheng Family’s money." After all, that was exactly what people were saying about the Zhang family now.

Liu Sanshun saw that his parents weren’t taking this seriously at all. They spoke of it so dismissively, as if it were just another one of the matchmaking meetings they’d had in the past—either they’d go to another family’s home or a girl’s family would come to theirs, and after a single meal, they would casually declare it "not a good fit." ’But how could any of those girls compare to Juhua? I didn’t even know them, let alone like them!’

His eyes reddened and he began to pant, his chest heaving violently. "They’re not engaged yet!" he shouted. "Can’t you stand up for me just this once? A proposal! You haven’t even gone to propose! How do you know the Zheng Family wouldn’t agree? A good daughter will have a hundred suitors. Just because the Zhang family made an offer, does that mean the Liu Family can’t? Can’t you, for once in your life, actually care about what happens to your third son?"

Fatty Liu froze at his words, and tears instantly streamed down his wife’s face. "Sanshun..." she sobbed.

His words had struck a nerve with the old couple.

The Liu Family had five children. The eldest, Dashun, was naturally doted on—even in a poor family, the first child is always cherished. When Ershun was born, life was still manageable. But by the time Sanshun arrived, they were too overwhelmed to pay him much attention. While not exactly unwanted, he was raised more like a stray puppy, left to run wild. Then came Sishun. Life was even harder, but they thought he would be their last, the baby of the family, so he naturally received more attention. However, the birth of Liu Xiaomei turned the "baby" of the family into the fourth-born son, and as the only daughter, Mei was instantly cherished and doted on by her parents.

And so, among the five children, the third son was the most neglected. He grew up like a wild child, exploring everywhere from the mountains and rivers to abandoned graveyards and overgrown hills, always scrounging for food. From the time he was old enough to catch fish and pick fruit, whatever he brought home, he made sure Sishun ate first. After Liu Xiaomei was born, he made sure she ate first. He would stand to the side, grinning happily as he watched his younger siblings eat. He was always making promises to them, telling them about a gully full of wild peaches that their Third Brother would go pick for them tomorrow, or about a puddle teeming with crucian carp that he would catch to make soup for Mei.

Somehow, through thick and thin, all five children were raised. Dashun got married. Ershun got married, too. Sishun was in school, so he shouldn’t have any trouble finding a wife later on. Liu Xiaomei was a girl, destined to have suitors knocking at their door. That just left their third son, Sanshun.

It wasn’t that Fatty Liu didn’t care for his third son. He and his wife had asked everyone they knew for help and arranged several matchmaking meetings with different girls, but none of them worked out. Who would have thought that Sanshun would go and find someone he liked all on his own—Juhua.

Looking at his red-eyed son, Fatty Liu knew the boy had truly fallen for Juhua.

Now this was a real problem!

No matter how easygoing Sanshun usually was, how much he doted on his siblings, or how he never seemed to mind his parents’ favoritism, Fatty Liu knew that this son of his was actually the most stubborn of them all. Once he set his mind to something, he wouldn’t turn back until he hit a brick wall. He was, after all, the infamous "San Jiangzi"—Stubborn Third!

He felt a deep sense of guilt and had always wanted to arrange a good marriage for Sanshun to make up for having neglected him. But now he was faced with this impossible situation. How was he supposed to handle it? His son might be panicked and desperate, but he himself wasn’t a fool. ’The engagement between the Zheng Family and the Zhang family is already set in stone. No one can change it. It’s not something I can just snatch away by showing up and asking.’

But his son had laid his heart bare. For the first time in his entire life, he was begging his parents to care about what happened to him. How could he have the heart to crush him with the truth?

’But if I go ask... I know it’s impossible, yet I’d be going anyway. That would not only put the Zheng Family in an awkward position, but it would also bring shame upon our own family. I’m not afraid of losing face myself, but if my son gets rejected by the Zheng Family... would he be able to handle it?’