The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 99: Chosen Again (1)_1

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Chosen Again (1)_1

Pei Houli received Lady Fang’s letter and promptly began to arrange the viewing. The next day, news arrived that they were coming to the family home for viewing, asking Lady Fang and Pei Qin to prepare.

Lady Fang also worked through the night to finish Pei Qin’s new cotton-padded coat and trousers, a peach-red fine cotton cloth, and embroidered some falling petals along the collar and hem with some silk thread left over from before.

After trying on the new clothes, Pei Qin declared them good before attempting to take them off.

"Qinqin! Just keep them on! You’re of age now, and it’s time to discuss marriage," Lady Fang lovingly stretched out her hand to stroke Pei Qin’s head. "I’m not capable of much, and I’ve even held you back. This young man from the town is not bad, his family situation is passable, and I’ve invited them to view you."

"View..." Pei Qin’s mouth twitched again and again. Seeing Lady Fang’s apologetic and compassionate eyes, the words of refusal that had reached her lips were swallowed back down.

Lady Fang noticed her mouth twitch but didn’t say anything, and touched her from head to toe again, "The soles of your shoes are still not well sewn; I’ll make you a new pair of cotton boots later!"

Seeing her eyes brimming with tears, Pei Qin didn’t say anything and just sat quietly at home, waiting to be viewed.

In the morning, Pei Houli arrived on time with the viewers, calling for Pei Qin to come to the old house.

Lady Fang and Pei Qin came over, with Si Ya following behind to watch the event, leaving San Ya and Pei Wendong at home to watch the door.

Once inside, they found that Pei Wenli had indeed returned.

Pei Houli smiled and beckoned Lady Fang and Pei Qin into the house.

Old Pei and Lady Zhu were sitting in the main room, with Pei Wenli sitting beside Lady Chen.

Pei Wenlee and Pei Wenbo wanting to watch the excitement, were chased out by Pei Houli.

Elsewhere, two women in their forties were leading a boy about fifteen or sixteen; he was short, dark-skinned, with small eyes, speaking slowly.

Lady Fang sized up the other family while they were sizing up Pei Qin. Noticing her tall and slender figure, her fair and delicate appearance, and her lively phoenix eyes, dressed in a new peach-red cotton-padded coat which made her look charming, they found her satisfactory on the face. However, this eldest daughter of Old Pei’s House was not from the main branch but from a secondary branch without a father, with younger siblings needing support in the future, and relations with the main branch were also said to be poor, which was discomforting.

Pei Houli, all the while, kept smiling on the side, praising Pei Qin, and giving Pei Wenli significant glances.

When it was his turn to speak up, Pei Wenli was not ambiguous, "I’m not too in favor of deciding on matrimonial matters for my siblings right now. After the New Year, I will be taking the imperial examination. If my name appears on the list of successful candidates, my siblings’ marriages need not be compromised!"

Lady Chen’s face was smiling, but her eyes held a resentful and cold light, "Our Dalang is good at studying; we had already decided that when he achieves success, we’ll find good matches for his younger brothers and sisters first!"

This meant that in the future, they would take care of the siblings from the secondary branch. But this eldest daughter was born to Pei Loaer, the second son of Old Pei’s House. When Pei Wenli succeeds, would he also take extra care of the secondary branch’s eldest daughter as his own sister?

Luo Jie, however, had taken an interest in Pei Qin. She was well-groomed, her family’s circumstances a bit inferior, so she wouldn’t look down on him, and he wouldn’t need to bow his head and serve her. Moreover, listening to Pei Houli’s ongoing praise, he also felt that marrying Pei Daya was not a bad option.

As Pei Houli spoke, he checked Lady Fang’s reaction, gesturing with his eyes for her to speak up and ask what she thought.

Lady Fang looked at Luo Jie, then back at her own daughter, feeling a sour, bitter sadness in her heart. The family’s situation seemed passable, but she had hoped her Qinqin could find someone even better. She could already earn money now to support the two of them, her Qinqin was capable and also grew up to be good-looking.

Seeing that Lady Fang wasn’t eager, Pei Qin followed up on Pei Wenli’s words, "I also think what big brother says makes sense!"

Just then, Pei Wendong came to the door from outside, calling for his eldest sister.