C4 A Marriage Was Proposed!

Early the next morning, the neighborhood was abuzz with the day's work. A child's wails echoed from the eastern house where he was being scolded, while the young couple to the west bickered once more.

Mother busied herself in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. The crumbling mud walls did little to muffle sounds, making the clatter of the spatula against the pot all the more distinct.

Wen Jiu, who would have once despised such a life, now found a sense of gratitude in the midst of it all, feeling that fortune hadn't been unkind to her.

In this second chance at life, while innocence mattered, it paled in comparison to life itself.

After a night's rest, Wen Jiu no longer felt as wretched as she had the evening before. She donned a patchwork jacket and stepped outside. The heavy rain from the night before had left the day shrouded in mist.

Her sixty-something grandparents, Wen Youcai and Mrs. Zhang, were already up. Li Yun, with a pout, tattled to them about Wen Jiu's ruckus the previous night, which had disturbed everyone's sleep, and her temperamental outbursts.

Today, with backup, Li Yun confronted Wen Jiu as soon as she appeared, tugging at Mrs. Zhang's sleeve, "Grandma, look at her! This lazy girl has the nerve to sleep in while you and grandfather are already up! She doesn't lift a finger around here; do you expect to do the chores yourselves?"

Mrs. Zhang, who was usually critical of Wen Jiu, surprisingly didn't seize the opportunity to scold her. Instead, she chastised Li Yun, "Jiu is your cousin, after all. It's only fair that she gets some extra rest when she's not feeling well."

Fuming, Li Yun stormed off to the next room, crying out, "Mom, Wen Jiu is picking on me again! And Grandma won't even take my side!"

Mrs. Zhang, feeling slighted, elbowed her husband, who was puffing on his pipe. Wen Youcai's face darkened, and he turned away in silence.

Wen Jiu observed their subtle exchanges. Her grandmother always had a penchant for meddling yet strived to appear benevolent. Whenever it was time for Wen Youcai to lay down the law, it was rarely for anything good. But Wen Youcai had his dignity, and those outlandish demands he couldn't quite voice, so they remained at an impasse.

"I'm off to help Mother with breakfast," Wen Jiu announced before turning to leave.

Mrs. Zhang, seeing Wen Youcai's silent brooding, couldn't contain her urgency and called out with a smile, "Later, help your father out of the room so we can all have a meal together. Your grandfather has something important to discuss."

Wen Jiu looked up, catching a fleeting glimpse of calculation on Mrs. Zhang's face. She nodded in agreement, "Alright."

Mrs. Zhang reminded her to cook the rice extra soft, considering her grandfather's difficulty with anything too tough, then sent her off to the kitchen.

As Wen Jiu walked away, she pondered what schemes Mrs. Zhang might be concocting.

Passing by her own room's window, the dilapidated wooden frame collapsed. She sidestepped just in time, and as the dust settled, she spotted a piece of white jade dangling from the window ledge.

The Wen family had long been in decline, with any item of slight value either pawned for silver or pilfered by Mrs. Zhang's daughter and son-in-law. Such a treasure would never be carelessly discarded.

That meant it must have been left behind by the man from last night!

Wen Jiu's hand trembled as she snatched the jade pendant. It was adorned with dark green tassels and a peace knot, while the jade itself bore subtle mountain and river engravings, topped with the character "Xie."

Within a hundred miles, only the prestigious Xie Family could afford such an ornament.

In her previous life, she had spent twenty-nine years unable to find the man who had ruined her. Now, armed with a clue, she was determined to exact her revenge.

...

The family sat down to breakfast, with Mrs. Zhang chattering away to Wen Youcai about the neighbors. Er Ya from next door had married at fourteen and already had two grandchildren. Xiao Hong, Wen Jiu's age mate, had just married into the Li Butcher's family last month.

Wen Jiu tuned out their laborious preamble, her mind on the jade pendant's owner, as she nonchalantly served her father a piece of red-braised pork.

Ever since her father had broken his leg on the mountain three years prior, he had become dependent on others, often scorned by Mrs. Zhang and Wen Youcai. He seldom left the house, the family's finances had dwindled, and they were burdened with supporting Li Yun and her daughter, the two 'rice bugs' of the household. The Wen family's days grew increasingly difficult, with meat gracing their table only on the rarest of occasions.

Three mud-brick houses and a few acres of barren land were all they had, with no young adults to tend the fields. When times got tough, they sold off some land, and now there wasn't much left.

Throughout the meal, Mrs. Zhang and Wen Youcai skirted around the main issue. Their bowls were empty, yet they remained seated, hesitant to rise.

Wen Jiu assisted his father to stand, "Dad, let me help you back to your room."

Mrs. Zhang intercepted him, her hand clasping Wen Jiu's, her face a map of wrinkles. "Your grandfather has something important to discuss. Your dad can rest in his room; what's the rush to leave?"

Father Wen, long confined to his bed, seemed diminished in spirit, his head bowed in silence.

"Second son," Wen Youcai inhaled from his pipe before speaking, "Jiu is fifteen now, old enough to marry. Your mother and I have found a match for her with the Xie Family's young master from the county. It's time for you and Mrs. Wen to start preparing..."

Wen Jiu chuckled at the news, "Such a fine match, why not offer it to Li Yun?"

Wen Youcai was taken aback, his face darkening. Mrs. Zhang was about to interject when Wen Fang hurriedly said, "What are you talking about, Jiu? This proposal was meant for you! Li Yun can't just take your place, no matter how appealing the match."

Mrs. Wen hesitated, "Jiu's birthday hasn't passed yet, she's not even come of age. There's no need to rush."

Mrs. Zhang retorted, "What does coming of age matter? That's a luxury for the daughters of the rich. We're poor folk who've stumbled upon a stroke of luck. Let's get Jiu ready..."

"Good news?" Wen Jiu sat, a slight smile playing on her lips, "Then I'd like to know, which Xie Family young master are we talking about?"