Gu’er knew this wouldn’t work out, so she didn’t give it much thought. It wasn’t for her, anyway. She planned to head into town in a few days.
If she was going to sell popsicles, she’d need a cart. She didn’t have a bicycle and couldn’t afford one right now, but a wheelbarrow would do. She’d also need a wooden box and a small cotton quilt to cover the popsicles and keep them from lting.
She still rembered the place that sold popsicles wholesale, but she didn’t know if it had changed. She had to go into town to properly scout things out.
When she returned ho, Zhou Mazi wasn’t back yet. By the ti he stumbled ho, his breath reeking of alcohol, Gu’er had already finished making dinner.
Zhou Mazi had been on the verge of cursing soone out, but after hearing from Li Hua that Cui i was arranging a match for Zhou Feng’er, he swallowed his angry words.
Zhou Mazi’s beady eyes darted back and forth. ’I can’t believe my second daughter has such luck,’ he thought. ’If she’s really chosen by that family from Liu Shu Village, the betrothal gift will be huge. They’re a rich family, so she’ll be able to bring plenty of things back ho. With a son-in-law from Liu Shu Village, I’ll be set for life!’
Gu’er knew what Zhou Mazi was thinking, and she felt a wave of sorrow. ’How tragic it is to be Zhou Mazi’s daughter. It’s not just , the adopted one—he doesn’t even care if his own flesh and blood lives or dies. All he thinks about is how much money she can bring him.’
He was callous by nature. In his eyes, no one mattered except for a son to carry on the family line.
Initially, Gu’er hadn’t particularly hated or blad Zhou Mazi. She knew there were many people like him, especially in these tis. Many people valued sons over daughters, believing that daughters eventually belonged to another family, and only sons could provide for you in your old age. So, they doted on their sons and didn’t even treat their daughters like human beings.
’If I could,’ Gu’er thought, ’I’d just stay with this family until I get married, find an honest, decent man, and call it a life.’
But ti and again, his actions had chilled her to the bone. Zhou Mazi was a selfish, callous man who never considered anyone but himself. She rembered the last ti she and Zhou i had fought. He had actually raised his pipe to strike her on the head. When his temper flared, he didn’t care if he was hitting a head or a foot—he just lashed out. Gu’er was certain that if anything else were to happen, Zhou Mazi wouldn’t think twice. He would definitely sell her.
That’s why she had to leave the Zhou family. Her destiny would be her own to command. As for the debt of being raised by Zhou Mazi all these years... she’d already paid that off in her past life.
"Tomorrow, you all stay ho and tidy this place up. I don’t want our guests to arrive and have nowhere to stand. Feng’er, you make yourself look nice, too."
For once, Zhou Mazi wasn’t shouting or cursing.
Everyone agreed, and Gu’er went back to her room.
She mulled over Zhou Feng’er’s situation. ’However she got their aunt to help her, it’s a skill in itself that she succeeded.’
’Whatever,’ she thought. ’I’m done with this. Figuring out how to make money is more practical.’
The next day, Gu’er helped Li Hua tidy up the house, inside and out. As dusk fell, soone arrived with a ssage for Li Hua.
The ssage was that the other party hadn’t said yes, but they hadn’t said no either; they needed to think it over. Cui i’s instructions were for the family to be ready, because the visitors would definitely co for a look within the next couple of days.
Gu’er was confused. ’A family from Liu Shu Village can have their pick of brides, so why would they even consider our family? And they didn’t refuse outright, but want to co for a eting? Why is that? Is the man unable to find a wife? Or does he have so kind of hidden illness?’
Sothing felt off to Gu’er. She decided it would be best to stay away from ho for the next couple of days. ’Whatever is going on, as long as I’m not here, it can’t involve .’
She told Zhou Mazi she wanted to go into town, but he refused to let her. He said she had to wait until after the visitors from Liu Shu Village had co and gone.
So, Gu’er could only stay ho.
On the first day, she went out and ca back with a good haul of wild vegetables. There weren’t many left at this ti of year, but she still found so mature bracken and Mingye greens. She pickled the bracken, thinking she could sell it later when fresh vegetables were scarce. The Mingye greens could be blanched to be eaten with sauce or used to make soup, adding an extra dish to the low table on their kang.
The next day, Zhou Mazi, Li Hua, and Zhou Feng’er waited at ho all day, but no one ca. All three of them were a little disappointed.
Zhou Mazi started muttering and cursing, acting as if everyone in the world owed him money. Gu’er kept her distance, not wanting to get dragged into the conflict.
On the third day, Gu’er went out again early in the morning, a wicker basket on her back.
She didn’t return until nearly noon, her basket once again full. She’d gathered another large batch of wild vegetables. Even if they couldn’t eat them all, they could be used as pig feed.
Just as she entered the courtyard with the basket on her back, she saw several people walking out of the main house.
"All right, that’s far enough. We’re practically family, no need for such formalities."
Gu’er heard a woman’s voice and couldn’t help but peek out of curiosity.
She was a middle-aged woman, sowhere in her late thirties, with a round face and hair combed back neatly. She was wearing a gray plaid blouse and black trousers.
She was speaking with Zhou Mazi and Li Hua, clearly about to leave.
Compared to the broad smiles on Zhou Mazi’s and Li Hua’s faces, her own smile was faint and insincere. There was a hint of arrogance in her eyes.
’She must be the one here to see Zhou Feng’er,’ Gu’er thought. ’If I’d known, I would’ve co back ten minutes later.’
Gu’er had no desire to run into them.
"And this is?"
The middle-aged woman, who had been saying her goodbyes to Zhou Mazi and Li Hua, froze for a second when she saw Gu’er. She sized the girl up, and a strange glint appeared in her eyes.
"This is our eldest daughter, Gu’er," Li Hua explained hurriedly. "Gu’er, this is Aunt Sun. Quick, greet her."
"Auntie,"
Gu’er mumbled softly, then imdiately lowered her head in a shy manner and began sorting the vegetables in her basket, as if she were afraid of strangers.
"Oh, the eldest daughter, you say. How old is she? Is she spoken for?"
Aunt Sun asked the questions without thinking, her eyes on Gu’er, who hadn’t co over to talk. Instead, the girl was dumping the vegetables out of her basket and sorting them into piles.
"She’s eighteen this year. Not spoken for yet," Li Hua answered honestly.
"Oh."
Aunt Sun nodded, then surprised everyone by walking over to Gu’er.
"You gathered all this from the mountain? What is it all?"
Aunt Sun had taken the initiative to speak to Gu’er.
Since the woman had spoken to her directly, Gu’er couldn’t ignore her. She explained what kind of wild vegetables they were, pointing out which were for humans and which were for the pigs. Beyond that, she didn’t say another word.
"She’s a capable girl."
Aunt Sun noted Gu’er’s sweat-dampened hair, and a look of satisfaction flashed in her eyes.
At the sa ti, she was puzzled. ’This eldest daughter is much prettier than the second one, and her age is perfect. Why did the matchmaker suggest the second daughter instead of the first? I’m not interested in the second one. Looks aside, she’s too young, and she doesn’t seem like a hard worker. If that’s the kind of girl I was looking for, I wouldn’t have waited this long.’
’This older girl, on the other hand, seems quite suitable. But is there a reason she’s not spoken for yet? I’ll have to do so digging first.’
"All right, that’s far enough. I’m leaving now. You should all head back inside."
Now that Aunt Sun had a new idea, she was even more eager to leave, and she told Zhou Mazi and Li Hua to stop seeing her off.
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