The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 97 A Good Marriage Match (1)_1

Chapter 97: Chapter 97 A Good Marriage Match (1)_1

Seeing her stop, Pei Houli smiled, "Da Ya! You’ve come of age, and your mother must surely be worried about your marriage. I’ve always kept you in mind, and this family is from the town. Although they don’t do business, they still have more than twenty acres of land, and both their daughters are married off. They only have one son, and he can read and write! Open the door, and I’ll talk to your mother about arranging a time for you two to meet."

Pei Qin turned her head and looked at him with raised eyebrows, "The conditions aren’t bad, save them for your own daughter! It was clearly stated during the division that our two families shall not interfere with each other’s affairs, and you have no right to meddle in my family’s matters, much less dictate my marriage!"

"Da Ya! Da Ya, don’t go! Such good conditions are hard to find, and the boy is very decent too, being an only son. Marrying him would mean a life of ease. I didn’t even mention this to Si Ya!" Pei Houli shouted after her from outside the door.

Pei Qin didn’t look back as she entered the house.

Pei Houli’s face darkened; he had genuinely found a good marriage prospect, much better than that Qian Dogsheng, and had wanted to tell her when he got back.

Pei Qin didn’t care, but Lady Fang was somewhat tempted. Qinqin was nearly fourteen, and after the New Year, she would be fifteen. With their situation at home, not many good families came to propose marriage—it wasn’t easy to encounter one.

As she walked into the house from outside, the bright winter sunlight shone on her small face, her delicate brows and eyes following her, and her skin inherited from her father was as white as snow and blushed pink. She was still growing and would surely be tall and slender like her father in the future. Casually walking into the house, she exuded an effortless and forthright air. Lady Fang couldn’t help but think to herself, her Qinqin really was beautiful!

And very smart too! She invented the corn-threshing tool, as well as the little pushcart. She could also catch bamboo rats and never shirked work!

If only she could change her hot-headed temper, surely many good families would come seeking her hand in marriage!

Thinking this, Lady Fang’s heart couldn’t help but ache. It was she who had dragged Qinqin down, preventing her from properly choosing a spouse!

Si Ya looked at Pei Qin, "The family Uncle mentioned sounds quite good. Don’t you like them?"

Pei Qin flopped onto the bed, "I’m going to sleep. I’ll head to the mountain tomorrow." What a joke! Although she had been single for more than twenty years, she was hardly fourteen; to get married? That would be ruining the flower buds of the motherland!

Pei Houli called out a few more times from outside, but seeing that no one responded, he sighed, pulled a grim face, and left.

The next day, while it was still dark, Mother Peiqin and the others all got up.

Because there was a lot of walking to do today, Pei Qin left Wendong at home.

Lady Fang had prepared food, leaving some for him to reheat over a fire at midday, so he could eat.

Si Ya reminded him carefully to keep an eye on the door and the things at home. He was to lock the main door securely and not open it for anyone.

Once Wendong heard they would buy him something delicious upon returning, he obediently agreed and kept a good watch on the door.

Seeing he was a bit scared, Pei Qin threw him a stick and told him to hug it when sleeping. If any bad people came, he should strike them with it.

Wendong looked at the stick, feeling a bit of security. He nodded his agreement, got up to send them off, and then secured the door well.

Mother and daughters, carrying sacks, wielding hand carts, and bringing dried food and snacks, ventured into the night.

They were still aiming for winter bamboo shoots and bamboo rats; as long as these items could still be sold together, they might as well earn that money first.

They reached a large mountain area outside a village near the county town, just as day slightly broke.

Once on the mountain, they first found a Bamboo Rat hole, catching a sackful of bamboo rats before starting to dig for winter bamboo shoots.

This bamboo grove was quite extensive, and there were also fungi, which Lady Fang also collected.

As they dug up to the edge of the bamboo grove, San Ya quietly called out to Pei Qin, "Big sister! There’s another hole over here!"