The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 61 - Treat Oneself as Dead
61: Chapter 61 Treat Oneself as Dead?
61 -61 Treat Oneself as Dead?
The situation was so bizarre that Old Granny Zhang’s footsteps halted at the threshold.
It was Li Dagui who first noticed Old Granny Zhang and her entourage, “Sister Zhang, you’ve arrived!”
Only then did the He Family members raise their heads, and their faces seemed to carry a sense of guilt as they looked at the Wang Family.
Especially the two elder sisters of the He Family, who shrank behind their menfolk, afraid that the Wang Family might, in a fit of anger, lash out without a word.
Old Granny Zhang certainly saw the He Family, but the thought of what they had done made even a single glance feel repulsive to her!
She decided not to waste words.
Standing too long on Li Family’s land, she felt contaminated, and spoke bluntly, “I’ve brought the marriage document.
Once the silver is paid, we can make the exchange, and from then on, the man’s wedding and the woman’s marriage will be of no concern to each other.”
The He Family did not expect the Wang Family to proceed so decisively, which left them dumbfounded for a moment.
They were prepared to endure a scolding from the Wang Family matriarch, as who wouldn’t need to vent in such an aggravating situation?
Today, the old couple brought their son, and even called their married daughter and son-in-law, fearing the confrontation could turn violent and they wouldn’t be able to hold their ground, right?
Little did they expect that the Wang Family representatives would ignore them completely, treating them as if they were air, speaking only to the Li Family.
The He Family members felt their faces burn with shame.
Li Dagui was prepared, extracting Five Taels of Silver and the marriage document from his bosom and handing them to Old Granny Zhang.
Old Granny Zhang checked them over.
Though she couldn’t read, the marriage document had been drawn up with the help of her own second son and bore his seal.
She pulled out the seal from her bosom, compared it, and found it matched perfectly.
Seeing that the marriage document was correct and the silver in order, she took out the marriage document from her bosom and tossed it to Li Dagui, “Take it and be careful!”
After speaking, she took a flint from her sleeve and set the marriage document ablaze then and there.
Li Dagui, as well as the He Family, felt as if they had been slapped in the face, yet they couldn’t voice any objection.
Meanwhile, Li Jinzhi and He Dawei just happened to come in from the side room and witnessed the scene.
The two had been cooing in the room for a good while, talking for some time.
Li Jinzhi would act coy and play the innocent, lamenting how pitiful she was and recounting how she had been threatened by Wang Yongping and her longing for Brother Da Wei.
She then clung to He Dawei, expressing her fears, questioning what would happen if the Wang Family refused to annul the marriage, or if the He Family disapproved of their union?
With tears and sobs, she professed her determination, claiming she would marry no one but Brother Da Wei.
She said if the Wang Family did not cancel the engagement, or if the He elders disagreed, she would be left with no choice but to die with the child in her womb.
He Dawei, being so coaxed, felt sweeter than if he’d drunk honey, and at the same time so distressed he wished he could cradle Li Jinzhi in the palm of his hand.
He assured her with his hand on his chest, “Jinzhi, don’t worry!
Our family came here today to formally ask for your hand in marriage.
Once the Wang Family annuls the engagement, and the marriage document is retrieved, I will have my parents propose marriage, and we will select the nearest date to bring you into our home.
By then, you will be the legitimate daughter-in-law of the He Family.
My parents will definitely cherish you once they find out you’re carrying my child.
Leave everything to me.”
Li Jinzhi was reassured only after receiving He Dawei’s promise, as the fear of nearly being strangled by Wang Yongping the day before made her eager to leave Qilidun and not stay at her parents’ home any longer.
Previously, she saw Wang Yongping as a foolish, bumbling lad who knew nothing but brute force, which she looked down upon.
Now she realized her grave mistake.
Wang Yongping, when angered, was like a wild bull, terrifyingly intimidating!
If she continued to stay at her parents’ home, no matter how much she avoided him, there was always a chance of encountering him.
If Wang Yongping went mad again, what would she do if he actually strangled her?
Every time she thought about it, she was so scared that she dared not sleep all night.
All her hopes were pinned on He Dawei, wishing the He Family would propose to her parents as soon as possible and then marry her off at the earliest convenience.
If she left Qilidun and married into the He Family Dam, where everyone was from the He Family, surely Wang Yongping, even if he wished to harm her, wouldn’t dare to do so on others’ turf, right?
Li Jinzhi wasn’t too sure about that.
Although she was smiling and leaning into He Dawei’s arms, coquettishly cuddling up to him, her ears were always listening for what was happening outside.
The moment the Wang Family entered the courtyard, she nearly lost her composure and rushed to the window.
In the courtyard, almost all the Wang Family members had arrived, including Wang Yongping, whom she most feared seeing.
But today, he had lost the madness of yesterday; although his face was ashen, his expression was almost calm.
Li Jinzhi somehow felt uneasy.
It shouldn’t be like this.
Wasn’t he crazily trying to strangle her just yesterday?
How come today he seemed as if nothing had happened?
Could it be that his declaration of love for her yesterday was a lie?
The more Li Jinzhi looked at Wang Yongping now, the more an inexplicable rage flared up in her heart.
However, she still managed to retain a shred of rationality and, looking at He Dawei, who had risen to stand beside her and also gaze into the courtyard, said, “Brother Da Wei, let’s go out and have a look.
If the Wang Family refuses to call off the engagement and causes trouble, it’s always bad.
It might be better if I make things clear to them, that I will absolutely not marry Wang Yongping!
Let them give up on this idea, don’t you think so?”
He Dawei had initially felt a touch uneasy about Li Jinzhi’s anxious reaction upon seeing the Wang Family entering the courtyard door.
He was used to being domineering and expected everyone around him to revolve around him, concentrating all their attention on him.
Seeing Li Jinzhi suddenly push him aside to look at someone else, her fiancé no less, had irked him.
Hearing what Li Jinzhi said now, he thought she couldn’t wait to break off her engagement with the Wang Family to marry him, to show her determination.
His anger turned into joy, and he hugged Li Jinzhi and kissed her, saying, “Very well, very well, I’ll accompany you.
Let’s show those country bumpkins from the Wang Family that only I am worthy of you.
What is he compared to me!”
After fooling around for a bit more, they finally went to the main room, just in time to see the Wang Family burning the marriage document.
Li Jinzhi’s face turned bright red with embarrassment.
She had just been worried about the Wang Family not calling off the engagement, but they withdrew with unexpected alacrity, as if they were even more eager to avoid the marriage than she was.
They didn’t even want to take the marriage document back home, opting to burn it right there at the Li Family.
The anger that she had just suppressed surged up again.
Li Jinzhi stepped forward swiftly, snatched the marriage document from Li Dagui’s hands, and threw it onto the one Old Granny Zhang was burning.
It caught fire instantly, and soon, both marriage documents turned to ash right before everyone’s eyes.
Li Jinzhi then held her head high: “The marriage documents are burned, from now on, our two families will have nothing to do with each other.
Wang Yongping, if you’re a man, you better not come pestering me after this.”
“Bah!” Old Granny Zhang had originally planned to listen to her husband, take the silver, swap the marriage documents, and leave the Li Family alone.
They were about to leave, yet neither the Li Family nor the He Family had made a statement, and now, that little harlot Li Jinzhi had to run out wanting to show off, stepping on her son’s face, and acting high and mighty in front of her future in-laws.
Did she think she, Old Granny Zhang, was dead?
