They brought up Chen Wanqing, saying she and Meng Jintang had been betrothed when they were thirteen. Since she was still unmarried after all this time, they claimed some sort of resolution was owed to her.
It really meant one thing: they wanted Meng Jintang to marry Chen Wanqing and demote his current wife to a concubine.
It was such a sordid affair that Xu Su Ying couldn't even be bothered to speak of it, feeling it would soil her tongue.
They had to find a suitable match for Qing'er quickly, if only to prevent the Meng Family from showing up at their door—to say nothing of the fact that their daughter was already eighteen.
"Have you ever seen a girl her age still unmarried at home? It's not that I'm unhappy she isn't married—she's my own flesh and blood, and I'd be happy for her to stay home forever…"
"Alright, alright, I understand. I'll go look again. If I find anyone suitable, I'll let you know immediately. I have to accompany the county magistrate to investigate a case today, so I won't have any free time. We can talk more when I get home."
Unable to bear his wife's nagging any longer, Chen Song skipped breakfast. He hastily straightened his clothes, adjusted the saber at his waist, and strode out of the courtyard.
"Father, wait! Take two steamed buns to eat on the way."
A young woman in simple clothes, yet possessing a captivating and delicate beauty, hurried out from the kitchen.
In the thick morning mist, her features stood out, making her look like an immortal who had descended to the mortal realm.
In one hand, she held two steaming hot buns, and in the other, two boiled eggs wrapped in a handkerchief. She also had a full waterskin of warm water tucked between her arms, and she thrust everything at Chen Song all at once.
"It's cold; you can't go without breakfast. The congee isn't ready yet, so you'll have to make do with some hot water, Father. I've put some dried meat in your pouch. If you don't have time to eat while you're investigating, you can have some of that to tide you over."
Listening to his daughter's gentle fussing, with the warm buns and boiled eggs in his hands, Chen Song's heart felt incredibly warm.
'This daughter of mine… she's wonderful in every way. Her looks, her abilities… she's second to none, not just in the village but even in the county seat.'
'It's a shame her marriage prospects have been so difficult. Two matches in a row fell through, and she nearly lost her life. The poor girl.'
Chen Song clapped a large hand on his daughter's shoulder. Seeing how her hair grew damp in the thick morning fog, he said, "Alright, your father understands. You should hurry back to the kitchen. It's cold out here; you'll catch a chill."
With that, he waved to his wife, who was just coming out of the main house, and strode off to report for duty.
As soon as Chen Song left, Xu Su Ying went into the kitchen with her daughter.
The Chen family's kitchen was spacious, so it didn't feel the least bit crowded even with both mother and daughter bustling about inside.
Xu Su Ying explained Li Cun's situation to her daughter, concluding, "Your father thinks the Li family is a good prospect, but I'm not so sure. Li Cun's mother is notoriously fiery, and you don't like to argue. If you married into that family, wouldn't you just let your mother-in-law walk all over you…?"
Xu Su Ying went on and on, but it all boiled down to one thing: she felt this match wasn't good enough and that they had to search more carefully for a better one.
After talking for some time without getting a response, she put down the fire poker and looked up. She saw her daughter taking pickled vegetables from a jar and carefully dicing and shredding them on a cutting board.
It was late autumn, and with the farm work finished for the year, the meals in ordinary households grew simpler.
Take the Chen family, for instance. They were considered well-off, so every breakfast included steamed buns, eggs, flatbreads, or steamed flower rolls, served with a warm congee and some pickled side dishes—a very delicious meal indeed.
A thick fog had rolled in that day, making it dim outside, but the fire in the kitchen stove cast a bright glow throughout the room.
In the firelight, Xu Su Ying watched her daughter's fair, radiant face, which seemed even more lovely and pale. Her expression was serene, her features gentle. With her ruby lips and pearly teeth, she was truly a remarkably striking young woman.
"I've been talking all this time, and you haven't said a single word. Qing'er, tell me what you think. Do you think the Li family is a good choice? Could this match work?"
As she placed the cut pickles onto a plate, Chen Wanqing looked at her mother and said, "A marriage is arranged by one's parents and a matchmaker. My marriage is for you and Father to decide. I will listen to whatever you say."
"You silly girl, this is your future we're talking about. When I ask for your opinion, you should give it."
Chen Wanqing gave a faint smile. "I know you and Father only want what's best for me. You cherish me, so naturally, you wish you could find a completely perfect match for me. But, Mother, a near-perfect life is rare enough in this world. Absolute perfection is likely impossible even for an immortal."
She calmly added a bit of aromatic vinegar and a drop of sesame oil to the pickles, stirring them gently as she continued, "Besides, I've always believed that a life is what one makes of it. As long as a husband and wife work together, they can make even the most difficult life beautiful. If they don't, even the best of lives will end in a complete mess."
"Then how am I supposed to choose a husband who will be of one mind with you? As the saying goes, 'you can paint a tiger's skin, but not its bones; you can know a person's face, but not their heart.' I don't have psychic eyes that can see the future. How can I possibly know if a man is worthy of you entrusting your whole life to him?"
Chen Wanqing smiled again. "That's why there's no need to rush. We can just take our time."
*
After breakfast, Xu Su Ying shooed her daughter out of the kitchen, staying behind to wash up by herself.
However, just as Chen Wanqing took out a large broom to sweep the fallen leaves in the courtyard, a rather familiar figure walked in through the main gate.
The short, elderly woman was slightly stooped, dressed in a brown, cotton-padded jacket. Her hair was done up in a small bun, fastened with a silver hairpin. On closer inspection, her skin was smooth and surprisingly well-preserved.
This little old woman was none other than Chen Wanqing's paternal grandmother, Mrs. Fang.
Mrs. Fang glanced at Chen Wanqing as she entered, then called out in a loud voice, "Where's your mother? Tell her to come out. I have something to discuss with her."