The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 44 - A Green Grassland Above the Head
44: Chapter 44 A Green Grassland Above the Head
44 -44 A Green Grassland Above the Head
Li Jinzhi remained silent for a while before slowly speaking again, “Mother, as the saying goes, being married off far away, the Wang Family is just an ordinary household like ours.
If I married into them, I would be busy from dawn till dusk with cooking and farming, not having a moment’s rest.
Look at the wives in the Wang Family, they all work like men – I don’t want to live such a hard life.
Mother, with my looks, I’m certainly not the bottom of the barrel in the village, why can’t I marry into a good family, rather than to some country bumpkin—”
Li Jinzhi’s mother fell silent for a moment before finally speaking, “Tell me the truth, do you have someone else in your heart?
Don’t throw that nonsense at your mother!
Our family has been engaged to the Wang Family for years, with the ceremonies all completed except for the final marriage.
You suddenly refusing to marry is utterly unreasonable!
Speak clearly to me right away—”
“Mother, do you still remember the He Family youngster whose leg was broken by Wang Family’s Fourth Child last year?” Caught by her own mother’s perception, Li Jinzhi no longer concealed the truth and asked softly.
Li Jinzhi’s mother was startled and slapped Jinzhi’s arm with a smack, “You foolish girl, that He Family kid harassed you, and it was Wang Family’s Fourth Child who saved you from trouble, even compensating the He Family generously.
How could you get involved with that He boy?”
Li Jinzhi casually rubbed her arm, “Mother, actually, that Brother Da Wei from the He Family is just smooth-talking, he’s not a bad person!
Besides, the He Family only has one single seedling for several generations, just this one boy, with over a dozen acres of prime land, and they own a shop in town, too.
His sisters married into wealthy families and often help out our home.
Brother Da Wei said, because his leg was broken by Wang Family’s Fourth Child, and though the doctor reset it, he can’t farm anymore.
They decided to take back the shop in town, and when we get married, we will move there.
He will be the shopkeeper, and I’ll be the shopkeeper’s wife.
He also promised to buy a maid to serve me.
Why wouldn’t I agree to such a generous family?
Wang Family’s Fourth Child and I have been betrothed for so many years, and he hasn’t even bought me a single hair tie, but Brother Da Wei is much more generous.
He bought me rouge, face powder, and even a silver hairpin, and promised to give our family an additional five taels of silver for the bride price, as well as getting a new set of clothes for you and dad.
How could that even compare to that stingy Wang Family?
Mother, why would I choose to marry into the Wang Family and jump into that pit of fire instead?”
Li Jinzhi’s mother fell silent, for in the village, a bride price of five taels of silver was incredibly generous to a point where it made refusing difficult.
Not to mention the promise of a new set of clothes.
Just the cost of the fabric was considerable, plus all the other miscellaneous gifts that made the He Family’s proposal seem like heaven compared to the Wang Family’s earth.
Li Jinzhi’s mother’s heart couldn’t help but lean a bit more towards the He Family.
However, she still had some sense left and wasn’t quite swayed by her daughter’s few words to side entirely with the He Family.
She said, “We’ll discuss this matter with your father this evening.
These next few days, you had better behave properly and not let on anything to outsiders, understand?”
Li Jinzhi stuck her tongue out and responded hesitantly, “Then mother, you must persuade father well.
We can’t delay too long—”
Li Jinzhi’s mother’s expression changed, and she grabbed Li Jinzhi, both anxious and afraid, “You…
are you, are you with that He Family boy…?”
Li Jinzhi’s cheeks flushed red, and she spoke coyly, “Mother, Brother Da Wei will be coming to propose in a few days anyway.
You better call off my engagement to the Wang Family quickly.
Otherwise, it won’t stay hidden for much longer.”
Li Jinzhi’s mother turned pale, staggering.
What else could be ‘not stay hidden’?
It must be a pregnancy that couldn’t be hidden!
Her face turning deathly pale, she wanted to slap her daughter a few times but was afraid of injuring the baby, so she only fiercely patted Jinzhi’s back, “You foolish girl, how could you be so careless?
How can a woman let a man have her before the wedding?
How will you face his family in the future?
You foolish girl, why are you so silly?
You are pushing our family into a pit of fire.
If this gets out, our entire family will be too ashamed to show our faces, you foolish girl, what a tragedy—”
In the hearts of villagers, the chastity of an unmarried woman was most precious.
Before marriage, even holding hands or seeing each other was a big step, anything more was considered indecent if seen by others.
They hadn’t even married yet, and especially since there was a betrothal to another family at stake, having contact with another man could cause a scandal.
If word got out, it would bring shame to the entire family, making it impossible for them to hold their heads high for generations.
Upon thinking of these consequences, Li Jinzhi’s mother felt as though the sky was falling.
Li Jinzhi pouted, unconcerned, “Mother, only Brother Da Wei, you, and I know about this.
If we keep our mouths shut, who would find out?
Let’s quickly break off the engagement with the Wang Family.
Once Brother Da Wei’s family comes to propose, let’s swiftly handle the marriage.
If we hide the broken arm inside our sleeve, how would outsiders know?
Anyway, I don’t care, things have come to this point.
I’ll leave mine and your grandson’s fate in your hands—”
Li Jinzhi’s mother felt angry, worried, and scared all at once.
She was so distraught that she couldn’t speak, only able to pound her chest and cry tears of frustration.
On the other side of the wall, Wang Yongzhu was shocked.
She hadn’t expected that her brother’s betrothed, who hadn’t yet crossed the threshold, was such a person who had become intimate with another man before marriage, and even gotten pregnant with his child.
Poor Fourth Brother, his head is now covered in a lush green field.
Reason told her that Li Jinzhi’s desire for a better life and her unwillingness to marry Fourth Brother was her own prerogative.
But to be bearing another man’s child while still wearing the title of Fourth Brother’s fiancée was unforgivable!
Wang Yongzhu pursed her lips.
No matter what, this marriage was doomed not to take place.
And it had to be quickly handled, otherwise, if the affair went public later, not only the Li Family but also the Wang Family would be embroiled in scandal.
Having herself already been the talk of the town due to a broken engagement, if Fourth Brother were to be left at the altar as well, regardless of whose fault it was, everyone would mock the Wang Family, laughing at Fourth Brother’s ineptitude.
Having made up her mind, Wang Yongzhu, not wanting to startle Li Jinzhi and her daughter on the other side of the wall, tiptoed to the back door.
There, she saw Zhu Ye and Jinhua, hand in hand, chatting and laughing as they walked by with baskets on their backs.
The laughter of the two girls also alarmed the mother and daughter on the other side of the wall.
After a whisper, the sound of footsteps quickly retreated from the courtyard wall.
Wang Yongzhu steadied her thoughts and managed to keep a pleasant expression on her face as she looked into the basket.
The crisp green leaves framed the small white jasmine flowers, along with a few gardenias and purple night-blooming jasmine.
Indeed, Zhu Ye had ground to boast a bit.
The flowers were indeed thriving, full of vibrancy at first glance.
After thanking Zhu Ye and agreeing to have gardenias delivered to the Wang Family in a couple of days, she learned some flower-growing tips from her.
Then Jinhua took the initiative to carry the basket on her back, and the niece and aunt bid farewell and departed.
