Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

LiuYu,duetoherexquisitebeauty,wassoldintoabrothelbyherheartlessparentsinherpreviouslifeanddiedonthenightsheleftthepavilioninthemostluxuriousbrothelinYangzhouCity.

Whensheopenedhereyesagain,shehadreturnedtotheyearshewasfifteen,justonemonthbeforebeingsoldtothematchmakerbyherparents.

Withherrebirth,therewasoneurgentmatterathand.

Withinamonth,shehadtofindagoodhusbandforherself,escapefromtheLiufamily,andavoidthefateofbeingsoldinherpreviouslife.

Shetookallthemoneyshecouldspare,knockedonthedoorofthematchmaker’shouseinChangfengTown.Andassoonassheleftthematchmaker’shouse,shemetayoungman.Thematchmakerwhisperedtoher,“LuChengxiao,thethirdsonoftheLufamily,theowneroftheLuFengClothShop.”

LiuYuunderstood;hewasherthirdtarget.

Recently,LuChengxiaohadencounteredabeautifulwomanseveraltimesandadmiredher.Hewasthinkingitwasamatchdestinedformarriage.

Itwasn’tuntilonedaywhentheymetinthemountains,thebeautifulwomantwistedherfootandcouldn’tmovesohecarriedheralltheway.

Whenhereturnedtodeliverthemedicine,hesawthebeautifulwomanwalkinglightly,withnosignofatwistedfoot.Theheatbehindhisearsreceded,andhiseyesgrewcolder.HeturnedandwentbacktoChangfengTown.

Severaldayslater,thebeautifulwomanshylyhandedhimapurse,thankinghimforhishelp.

LuChengxiaosneered,“Thankingmeforhelping?Thatday,Iturnedbackandsawtheladywalkingnormally.WhywouldIneedtohelp?”

“Ican’tacceptthispurse.Ifweprivatelyexchangegifts,itmightbehardtoexplainlater.It’sbetterfortheladytokeepherdignity.”

Alright,thisonecouldn’twork.LiuYutookbackthepurse,curtsied,andwalkedaway…

LuChengxiaothoughtitwasadecisiverejection,untilseveraldayslater,hesawLiuYudropanembroideredhandkerchiefinfrontofthebookshopwheretheyoungman,ChenSheng,worked.Thegentlemanpickedupthescentedhandkerchief,andthebeautifulwomanblushedandthankedhim.Whatabeautifulencounter.

LuChengxiao:“…”

Awaveoffrustrationwelledupinhischest,andheclenchedhisteethashetossedandturnedinhisdreams.

Untillater,whenhesawLiuYuabouttostageafalling-into-the-waterscene,LuChengxiaopanicked.HejumpedintotheriverbeforeChenSheng,pulledherashore,heldherslenderwaist,andcouldn’thelpbutfeelbothangryandpained.Hedidn’tevenwanttoaskmorequestions.Hejustheldherinhisarmsandalmostbegged,“Don’tyouwantagoodmarriage?I’llmarryyou!”

【Thisisastorythatbeginswithscheming,fallsintolove,withaheartfullofsincerity,andendsupinamarriage.Itisalsoastoryoftwomajorbusinessesrising,withelementsofurbanandfarminglife.]

Translator’sNote:Itwasaboutabeautifulgirlwhowassoldbyherfamilyandbecameacourtesan.(Morelikeageishabecauseshejustperformsdancesandsingsforthemen.)Shediedbeforetheycansellherbodytothehighestbidderandwokeup(rebirth)tothetimebeforeherfamilysoldher.Sosheschemedtofindahusbandtoescapeherpreviouslife,andtheyflourishedinlifetogether