Chapter 166: Bickering

Disclaimer: 

1. This is an unofficial translation and no permission has been obtained from the author/ official publisher. It may be taken down if the author/official publisher requests. 

2. This is a fan work and the interpretation represents only the translator’s personal views without any input from the author. 

3. No permission has been granted to use, publish, upload and/or copy this translation to any other site except for Second Life Translations.

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Liu Xu’er normally spent her days sipping tea and reading books in her room. When she was in the mood, she would embroider or make some rouge and soap. Recently, whenever her parents were entertaining, they wouldn’t interrupt her to accompany them. 

But today, just as she was hunting all over the courtyard for Liu Sen, Wang shi came by to tell her that Madam had called her into the main courtyard. 

Liu Xu’er naturally went over. When she was there, she saw her dajiumu and the Zhang family mother-daughter pair. She sat down for a while, listening to the conversation. Immediately she understood what was going on. It seemed that mum found Zhang Bing a suitable candidate?

Zhang Bing was someone from He shi’s maiden village. She was the eldest in her family and had quite a few younger siblings. The thing that caught He shi’s eye was that because she worked in the workshop, He shi could observe her character up close. She found that she was a very hardworking young girl. 

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For the noon meal, He shi got the mother-daughter pair to stay in and share it with them. The two of them gladly accepted. They wanted to wait till Liu Shu returned home, so that the two of them could have some time to talk to each other and get to know one another. 

He shi and Aunt Zhang both had the same thought, so they tried to wait. But Liu Shu still hadn’t returned even when it was getting close to 5pm. Aunt Zhang really couldn’t wait any longer – it would get dark very soon! So she pulled Zhang Bing and said their goodbyes. 

He shi was a bit regretful. After sending the Zhang mother-daughter off, she started to grumble to dajiumu, “Where do you think Liu Shu has gone off too….”

Dajiumu smiled and also took her leave. 

He shi went into the room and smilingly asked Liu Xu’er, “Xu’er, what do you think of Zhang Bing?”

Liu Xu’er started to grumble, “Mum, why were you so impulsive? You just casually brought her home – that’s really not good. If the matter doesn’t succeed, how can Zhang Bing continue to work at our workshop? Wouldn’t she feel too awkward?”

He shi was stunned, before protesting her innocence, “I really didn’t bring her home! The past two days, she had taken leave to head home. How was I to know that she would come in this morning? She said her mother wanted to meet me to thank me. She said that because we selected her daughter to work at the workshop, their family had been doing much better…. So I brought her in! I couldn’t let her stand around outside, right?”

Liu Xu’er then said, “It’s enough to invite her in, but why did you behave as though she was the one you recognised as your daughter-in-law? Wouldn’t that let them misunderstand?”

He shi had nothing to say to that. After a while, she smiled and said, “But I really do feel that this girl is quite good! Actually, a few months ago, I was already eyeing her. I just didn’t say anything at the time. I wanted to check her out a while longer, to see if the girl really was that hardworking….” He shi looked at Liu Xu’er and said, “What, don’t you like her? She seems good to me!”

Liu Xu’er smiled, “Mum, it’s your son who is marrying her, not me. It’s no use even if I do like her…. Actually, even if you like her… Oh, it’s still useless. My dage is the one who must like her.”

He shi giggles, “Your dage would definitely like her! So long as your father and I find a good match, he would definitely agree. Your ge is so obedient….”

Staring at He shi who was delightedly lost in her own world, Liu Xu’er wanted to roll her eyes. Her mother usually wasn’t like this! She was usually a lot more measured, and careful in her considerations. What was happening here? Surely she wasn’t worried that her sons were getting too old to be easily matched? So that once she found someone that matched the criteria, she was so giddy with joy?

Liu Xu’er decided to pour cold water over her mother. “Mum, no matter how honest and obedient dage is, you still cannot randomly matchmake him! He needs to like the other party!”

He shi looked at her strangely and said, “Oh! Why are you so sure that your dage won’t like her? Why are you saying that I am randomly matchmaking? Would I just casually match your brother to someone? Tell me, how is Zhang Bing bad? She looks good and behaves well. She’s hardworking and not nosy. Isn’t she a good choice?”

Liu Xu’er patiently said, “It’s still that same sentence, no matter how good she is, dage must like her.”

“Oh, you’re just a silly girl. What’s there to like or dislike? Don’t you feel embarrassed talking about this?! Furthermore, why are you so sure that your dage wouldn’t like her?!” He shi started to get suspicious. She looked at her and asked, “Did your dage…. Say anything to you?”

“You can’t put that on me. Dage didn’t say anything to me.” Liu Xu’er wasn’t lying at all when she said that, “But I can confirm that my dage won’t like her…. Because, honestly, I don’t really like that girl. Although she is decent looking, and has a lot of plus points… But mum, somehow she just doesn’t seem that likeable? I don’t really know why. I think she’s good too, but I just can’t like her.”

He shi harrumphed. “You are just saying that! It doesn’t matter if you don’t like her! So long as your dage does!”

Liu Xu’er had nothing to say to that! She stared at He shi before laughing loudly. He shi smiled and said to herself, “Shu will definitely like her. There’s nothing dislikeable about the girl…. Why shouldn’t he like her?!”

The two of them continued to bicker for a while, when Uncle Tian, who was watching the door, heard someone knock. He went over to open the gate and saw Liu Shu standing outside. 

Uncle Tian quickly greeted him. Liu Shu instructed him to unhitch the cart, and bring the donkey in. Then he came into the courtyard. He didn’t go to the main courtyard, heading first to his own to clean up and change his clothes. Then he headed over. 

He shi was still talking to Liu Xu’er. When she saw Liu Shu come in, Liu Xu’er clapped her hands and said, “Mum, you should ask dage himself! I won’t discuss this with you any longer!”

He shi immediately turned and asked Liu Shu, “Where did you go? Why did it take you an entire day to send Shao Rong home?”

Liu Shu’s expressions was calm. He sat opposite and said, “Of course it didn’t. After sending her back, I went to the store.”

He shi then quickly said, “Let me ask you….”

“Mum! Let’s discuss this later. I just went to look for dad. He said he will be coming home soon. Let’s wait for him to return first and we can discuss this together, alright?” Liu Shu quickly interrupted. 

He shi hadn’t expected that her son’s attitude would be sterner than hers. She was naturally agreeable to the plan. 

Just at this moment, Liu Changgeng also returned. Because she was impatient, the instant He shi heard noises from outside, she had gone out. Without waiting for him to wash his hands or clean up, she brought Liu Changgeng in to discuss the matter of her eldest son’s marriage. 

When Liu Changgeng had sat down, He shi paused for a moment. She didn’t know where to begin. After a long while, she smiled and said, “About that, today, let’s talk about Shu’s marriage!””

Liu Changgeng was completely clueless about what was going on. Puzzled, he said, “Why do we need to discuss this suddenly? Is there someone suitable?”

He shi and Liu Shu nodded their heads simultaneously. “Yes!”

With delighted surprise, He shi turned to look at Liu Shu, “Shu, you also found the girl today suitable?!”

Liu Shu looked at her smile and said, “Mum, if you’re talking about Shao Rong, then yes, I find her suitable. But if it’s Zhang Bing…. Your son doesn’t like her.:”

Liu Xu’er started to giggle. 

He shi had been bickering with Liu Xu’er about this matter, so when Liu Shu didn’t agree immediately, she shouldn’t have been too surprised, But hearing his outright refusal, He shi was still shocked. 

Liu Changgeng immediately started to smile, “Shao Rong? The girl who comes to our home to plant flowers? The one who came to plant roses the last time? I find her quite good…. That’s right, is it the elder or younger girl?” On the day they came to plant roses, Liu Changgeng had met them, but he seemed to remember there were two sisters?

Liu Xu’er smiled and responded, “The younger! She’s 15 this year. She’s the one who came twice. Her elder sister only came to our home once. Shao Rong is rather good. Her siblings and her are all very hardworking….” She said, then turned to smile at He shi, “Mum, there are many hardworking people. It’s not just Zhang Bing.”

He shi took a long time to wrap her head around what was happening. She first stared at Liu Changgeng and said, “Don’t be in such a hurry to agree, there’s another you haven’t met yet!” Then she turned to look at Liu Shu, “What are you saying? You find Shao Rong suitable?”

Liu Shu nodded his head. Then he again clearly said, “Mum, your son finds Shao Rong suitable. I hope that dad and mum will agree to the match. Your son will get a matchmaker to propose marriage.”

He shi said to Liu Shu, “You can’t be so casual about this matter – it’s not enough that you like her… We need to look for someone suitable, and mum thinks that Zhang Bing is really suitable! She’s the eldest in her family and has helped to bring up her younger siblings. When she marries, she would definitely know how to maintain harmonious relationships with her sisters-in-law, and would get along well with your sister! And that girl is really hard working. I’ve been watching her for months, and she really is a good worker!”

Liu Xu’er casually added her opinion, “Mum, didn’t we say – no matter how good a person is, dage must like her. If he doesn’t, you can’t force him. Furthermore, you really shouldn’t include me in your considerations. The year after this, I will be getting married, so it doesn’t matter if she gets along well with me. As to whether or not she’s a good worker…. Our workshop does embroidery work – it isn’t like it’s moving heavy loads. There’s no reason for her to shun our work? It would be better to find someone who is smart. I find Shao Rong rather clever.”

When Liu Shu heard, he immediately turned and smiled at her, “Thanks, meimei!” Then he looked at He shi and said, “As to what mum said about her being the eldest – there’s really no need. You don’t need to be the eldest to be able to care for others. And as for sisters-in-law, so long as a person’s temper is good, the relationships between them should be harmonious. Xu’er isn’t the eldest, but she knows how to care for others, and she knows how to get along with others.”

He shi opened her mouth. She still wanted to say something, but Liu Shu hadn’t finished. He continued, “Also, mum, even if you find her suitable, your son must also find her suitable. It’s not just a matter of finding a compatible family here. I want….” In the end, he wasn’t as bold as Liu Xu’er to be able to repeatedly stress the word “Like” in front of his parents. He paused for a moment before finishing, “No matter what, I won’t agree to any other girl. I only want Shao Rong.”

He shi was silenced by the two siblings’ speech. She turned to look at Liu Changgeng.