Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Before Juhua could reply, the two wives hurriedly said they couldn’t trouble Manager Yang like this; they had to get home early. Zhuzi and the others also said they had to leave. Li Changxing then smiled at Juhua and said, "Well, we’ll be heading back first. You guys can eat here."

Xiu blushed and said to Zhou Xiaoman, "Brother, let’s go back too!"

With everyone leaving, Juhua’s plan to get a meal out of Laixi fell through. She could only say to him, "You’re getting off easy today. Next time you come over, you have to treat me to something good."

Laixi, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, thought, ’I was going to treat you today, but you’re the one who wouldn’t stay.’ He could only watch them leave with regret, his eyes lingering on Liu Xiaomei.

Zhang Huai, thinking they still had a long way to go before getting home, worried that Juhua would be uncomfortably hungry. He took a detour to the market, bought some buns, and handed them out to everyone to tide them over.

That evening, while making clothes with her mother from the new cloth they’d bought, Juhua said to Mrs. Yang, "Mother, I think Cousin Laixi seems to like Mei, and Mei enjoys talking to him too. Why don’t we help ask around and see if we can make a match?"

Mrs. Yang was pleasantly surprised and asked, "Really?"

Before Juhua could speak, Zheng Changhe, who was weaving straw sandals nearby, laughed. "Hey! Mei is a good girl, and she’s a great match for Laixi. That girl is just as sharp as Laixi. If this match is made, I’m afraid the two of them could make their business even more prosperous."

Mrs. Yang asked with a smile, "Would Fatty Liu agree? She’s his only daughter. He might not be willing to marry her off."

Qingmu, who was practicing his writing, looked up and said, "I’m afraid it’ll be a long shot." ’The Liu family must still be unhappy that Liu Sanshun failed to marry Juhua,’ he thought. ’If Laixi goes to them with a proposal, they probably won’t agree easily.’

Juhua smiled. "It’s worth a try. Their family all know Laixi and praise his character and abilities. Didn’t Brother Sanshun just praise Laixi in front of so many people last time? My uncle’s family is doing well, too. Their shop has expanded, and Cousin Laifu has been promoted to a junior manager at the Fang family’s workshop and is already engaged. Cousin Laixi is the only one left."

Zheng Changhe nodded. "I think this could work. Even though Fatty Liu is reluctant to part with his daughter, he also dotes on her. If you think about it, if Mei marries Laixi, she won’t have to farm for the rest of her life. How great is that? Besides, Xiatang Market isn’t far, so it would be convenient for her to visit her family."

Hearing this, Mrs. Yang no longer hesitated. "In that case, I’ll go ask Laixi. If he’s taken a fancy to Liu Xiaomei, I’ll help play matchmaker. I’ll start by sounding out Mei’s mother—she’s met Laixi, and if she seems interested, then we can make a formal proposal."

But then she added with some hesitation, "Their family’s Sanshun and Sishun aren’t engaged yet. Last time, Fatty Liu and his wife mentioned they were worried about Sanshun. With both older brothers still unmarried, he probably won’t marry off his daughter first."

Juhua said deliberately, "Mother, do you really think the boys in our village have to worry about finding wives these days? You’re thinking of how things used to be. Our village has a pretty big name for itself now. All those people who come to sell pigs and cabbages, which one of them isn’t envious? The sapling seller I met at the market today, Liu Heizi from Qingbei Village, was just praising our village. Girls will be lining up to marry Sanshun and Sishun. Sansun is great at raising fish, and the cured-and-smoked fish from the workshop sold pretty well last year. Selling his fish in the future won’t be a problem."

Qingmu nodded. "Changyu said the cured-and-smoked fish is selling well, but its reputation isn’t widespread enough yet, so we can’t make too much. But even if we wanted to, we don’t have enough fish anyway. It’s perfect for slow and steady growth."

Zheng Changhe chuckled. "Liu Heizi from Qingbei Village? I know him. He’s an honest man, not some sly character. If he says his saplings are good, they must be. We should get more of those chestnuts of his."

Juhua smiled. "Brother Huai Zi already spoke to him. He asked him to sell us some of his chestnuts after next year’s harvest so we can use them for seed. He should be coming in a few days to deliver the saplings and mulberries I told him about."

Mrs. Yang frowned. "Those mulberries give you a stomachache. They’re not that great. And since we don’t raise silkworms, let’s just plant a few."

Juhua laughed. "Even if you wanted to plant more, we don’t have them. There are only a few saplings in total. I’m splitting them with Brother Huai Zi, and we’ll each plant some on our side." The Zhang family’s home was where her future lay, so of course, she had to start taking good care of it early on.

Qingmu asked his sister, "You saw our shop today. What did you think?"

Juhua nodded happily. "It’s very nice. On the remaining land, let’s build a large courtyard, plant more trees, and live on either side in the future."

Qingmu put down his book and smiled. "My thought was, if we’re going to build, we should build two large courtyard homes: one for you, Sister, and one for us. Otherwise, after you’re married, you’d have to come back to your maiden home just to stay over. We might understand the situation, but future generations won’t. They might start whispering."

Zheng Changhe praised him loudly, "Yes! We should build two. One will be Juhua’s dowry. And the shops will be split evenly between you two as well. Everything our family has will be split between you. Your father only had the two of you, so it’s easy to divide. Not like those families with many children who fight over the inheritance."

Qingmu laughed. "What’s there to fight over? If you really want to get down to it, Juhua earned most of our family’s money. By rights, it should all be hers. I’m just benefiting from her success!"

Juhua shot her brother a look. "We’re family, why divide it by who earned what? I just said a few words. Weren’t you and Father the ones who arranged everything? The silver didn’t just fall from the sky."

Seeing the siblings getting along so well, Mrs. Yang smiled happily. "You’re both still young, you don’t understand the complexities involved. Which family’s brothers aren’t harmonious before they get married? But once they have wives, and there are more people and more issues, plus you’re thinking one way and he’s thinking another... ’Even an honest official can’t settle family disputes.’ When arguments start, it’s hard to tell who’s right and who’s wrong. Your brother’s idea to build two courtyards is for the best. Otherwise, ten years from now, it’ll be ’kin for one generation, distant the next, and strangers by the third.’ Who would care who earned the money back in the day?"

Juhua and Qingmu listened, lost in thought. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)