As an old hunter, Luo Hu had an unusual keenness for danger. Yet, considering they were all his son's friends, he deed them trustworthy and did not expose his suspicion. Ghost Hand and the others were secretly astonished as they exchanged glances. They hadn't expected Luo Zheng's father to be so perceptive—it was truly fitting for an old hunter to have such extraordinary intuition—they couldn't help but develop a deep interest in Luo Hu and smiled as they walked into the house.
The room was not small, with a two-story height and arranged in a grid pattern. The living room was in the center with connected rooms on both sides. Besides the necessary tools for daily life and furniture, there wasn't much else. The ceiling was made of wooden planks with round logs as beams, and there was a swallow's nest above, from which several newly hatched baby swallows chirped away, capturing everyone's attention. Such a sight was impossible to see in the city.
Everyone sat down in the central hall. They were curious about the simple long wooden benches, and Ghost Hand even studied them a bit. They were constructed using mortise and tenon joints without a single iron nail, yet they were very sturdy. Luo Zheng also took a seat, and, seeing his father go to the backyard to slaughter a chicken and a sheep and his mother go upstairs to get peanuts and red dates to entertain the guests, he didn't intervene.
The livestock was the family's most valuable property, usually too precious to eat, as they were kept for laying eggs and breeding. But with the fifty thousand cash in his pocket, Luo Zheng did not stop them. This was Lan Xue and the others' first visit, so they couldn't be too shabby, right? Seeing his mother smiling so happily, Luo Zheng knew he had done the right thing by bringing Lan Xue ho and gave her a aningful look.
Lan Xue, understanding the look, blushed and gave Luo Zheng a stinging glare, but her heart was sweet with joy. Without anything better to do, the elderly and children all ca over to watch the excitent, a common sentint in the village. Everyone looked at the visitors from afar with simple, honest smiles on their faces, but unfortunately, they couldn't understand each other's local dialect, so Luo Zheng had to translate for Lan Xue and the others.
Lan Xue saw soone asking Luo Zheng sothing, causing him to blush deeply. She couldn't help but ask, "What did they just say?"
"They were asking who you are to ," Luo Zheng said with a smile.
"What did you say?" Lan Xue pressed, her heart jumping to her throat with nervous anticipation.
Luo Zheng, seeing Lan Xue's anxious expression, felt a warmth in his heart and quickly responded, "I told them you're my 'Po Yi,' which ans wife here, a local term."
"Flatter yourself, who's your 'Po Yi'?" Lan Xue threw him a scornful look but was secretly delighted on the inside.
"You don't like it? Then I'd have to explain to them," Luo Zheng pretended to be disappointed.
"You wouldn't dare," Lan Xue retorted, knowing full well Luo Zheng was just teasing her but couldn't resist objecting.
"Co, co, have so peanuts and red dates. We grew them ourselves; they're very sweet," Mrs. Luo excitedly descended from upstairs, her face blooming with smiles as she handed a plate to Lan Xue and continued, "I don't know if you'll like them, but you hand them out to everyone. Us mountain folks don't have much to offer, so we beg your pardon for the simplicity."
Lan Xue didn't understand and looked toward Luo Zheng. Having known the customs of the village, Luo Zheng explained with a smile, "My mother sees the connection between you and . She treats you as the mistress of this house, telling you to hand these out to our brothers. Accepting ans you are this ho's daughter-in-law. If you don't want to, you just push it away—that's our local custom."
"Huh?" Lan Xue had not heard of this custom before. Seeing everyone's curious eyes on her, she didn't think too much, hurriedly took the plate, gave Ghost Hand a handful of peanuts, and muttered softly, "Here, eat up. You two as well, fill yourselves up and go work. We're all brothers in life and death; don't act like strangers." Saying this, she gave Mountain Eagle and Snow Leopard a handful of peanuts each, then looked towards Luo Zheng.
"Go on, distribute them to everyone. Once they've eaten yours, it ans they've accepted you, and my face will be all the brighter for it." Luo Zheng explained with a grin. Such a folk custom might be deed insignificant by city dwellers, but in this remote village, it was taken very seriously, sotis even more so than the law. Luo Zheng, bold as he was, didn't dare to ss around; otherwise, his parents might end up being talked behind their backs.
"Co on, everyone, have so peanuts and red dates," Lan Xue called out generously, not caring whether they could understand her or not. Smiling, she passed the plate along and saw everyone's friendly smiles and hands reaching out to take so. Everyone only took a little, out of politeness, which made her curious. After everyone had taken their share, she turned to Luo Zheng and asked, "Why did they all only take a little? They don't look down on , do they?"
"Not at all. It's just that life is hard here. It's not easy for anyone to have things, so they're embarrassed to take much. Don't overthink it. Taking so ans they've accepted you. According to our local customs, that makes you my wife now," Luo Zheng happily explained. Taking the plate from her, he distributed it once more among the crowd, speaking in words Lan Xue and the others couldn't understand, laughter filling the air.
Ghost Hand leaned closer to Lan Xue and whispered, "People here are simple and sincere, close as family, with a strong sense of clan. Congratulations. But now the question is, should I still address you as Captain or as sister-in-law?"
"What do you think?" Lan Xue said coldly in a low voice.
"Sister-in-law, definitely," Ghost Hand hastily replied, then ran off to the back of the house to seek help from Luo Zheng's father, Luo Hu. Butchering chickens and slaughtering sheep weren't a problem for the group.
"I'll deal with you later." Lan Xue's eyes were filled with laughter, and she didn't mind Ghost Hand's teasing.
The people around them gradually dispersed. Mrs. Luo looked at Lan Xue, her eyes brimming with joy, extrely pleased with the fairy-like beauty of Lan Xue. Unfortunately, the language barrier precluded communication, and she was agitated. Luo Zheng quickly caught onto the situation, threw a aningful glance at Lan Xue, who understood and opened her backpack to retrieve a gift.
Mrs. Luo, seeing the jade bracelet, knew it was expensive and looked worriedly at Luo Zheng. Bringing ho a beautiful girl was good, but a rich beautiful girl might not be content with their humble ho. Luo Zheng could see his mother's concerns and quickly explained in their local dialect, "Mom, don't worry. Xue Er isn't vain or greedy. Besides, your son is so outstanding, who wouldn't be a match for him, right?"
"That's good to hear. We can't cater to a rich young lady. Now that you've said this, I'm relieved," Mrs. Luo said. She knew her son well, that he wouldn't speak lightly, and her discerning eyes swept away the hidden concern as she rose and headed towards the inner room.
"What's with your mom?" Lan Xue asked worriedly.
"It's nothing. My mom really approves of you. My dad is an honest man and doesn't speak much, but I can tell, he approves of you too. Don't worry," Luo Zheng said with a smile.
Before long, Mrs. Luo ca out from the inner room, carrying sothing wrapped in a blue floral cloth. Unfolding the cloth to reveal another bracelet, made of Mutton Fat Jade, she took Lan Xue's hand. Lan Xue looked at Luo Zheng, and before he could ask, his mother said, "Child, tell her this has been passed down from our ancestors for generations, and it's said to be over a thousand years old. Since you have accepted this girl, pass it on to her, to be handed down from generation to generation, as a blessing for peace and safety."
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