Chapter 6: Meeting Mrs. Qian on the RoadNanping County wasn’t large, nor was it particularly prosperous, but it was bustling with people coming and going. Though their clothing was simple, they were all neatly dressed.Lin Qinghe didn’t dare linger too long. For one, it was getting late, and she still had to make her way back. Moreover, she was short on money and couldn’t afford to spend recklessly. After glancing around briefly, she headed back.The return journey felt much lighter than the trip there. By the time she reached the village entrance, it was already mid-afternoon, and the sky was still bright. She thought she’d rest at home for a bit before heading to the back mountain to gather more firewood to dry at home.“Oh, isn’t this Qinghe? Where have you been?” A woman approached, scrutinizing her from head to toe with a critical look.Looking up, she recognized Mrs. Qian and stepped forward to greet her. “It’s you, Aunt Qian. I went to the county town early this morning to sell a load of firewood and just got back.”Mrs. Qian was a widow in the village. Though her husband was gone, he had left behind over ten acres of land. She rented the land out for others to farm, so she didn’t have to work the fields herself. Living off the annual rent, her life was comfortable. She had even sent her only son to school, making Zhao Zhengping one of the rare few scholars in the village.Mrs. Qian and Mrs. Su were on very good terms. Mrs. Su herself came from a scholarly family, so she held Zhao Zhengping in high regard for attending school. Three years ago, Lin Qinghe and Zhao Zhengping had already been betrothed.Hearing her words, Mrs. Qian glared at her. “You, a young girl, going out in public to sell firewood in the county town—don’t you think about my Zhengping? If this ruins your reputation, don’t even think about entering my Zhao Family’s door.”Lin Qinghe frowned slightly. Hearing Mrs. Qian’s words, she wasn’t too keen on entering the Zhao Family’s door either!“Auntie, you might not know, but our family has no income now. My younger siblings still need to be fed. If I don’t think of some way, we might not even have enough to eat.”Hearing this, Mrs. Qian’s expression shifted uncertainly. She stared at Lin Qinghe for a long moment before asking, “Your mother went to the Wang Family. She doesn’t care about you, but the Wang Family is doing quite well.”Butcher Wang was tall and strong, with great strength and the skill of butchering pigs. Over the years, he had saved up a considerable fortune. Recently, his two sons had grown up, and with them helping out, they earned even more. Many in the village secretly envied them, though not everyone could make a living this way.“My mother went to the Wang Family, so she’s part of the Wang Family now. She probably can’t spare much thought for us Lins. Besides, I’m not young anymore. Even if it’s tough and tiring, I can raise my younger siblings. It’ll only be hard for a few more years. Once they grow up, things will be better.”“You know you’re not young anymore. In a couple of years, you’ll have to get married. What will happen to the little ones then?” Mrs. Qian pressed, staring intently at her.Lin Qinghe smiled calmly. “There’s no rush about marriage. Even if I do get married, I can’t just abandon my younger siblings. I have to raise them until they’re grown and independent.”Mrs. Qian took a deep breath, no longer wanting to say another word to her. She turned and walked away.She must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to end up with a daughter-in-law like this. Before even entering the door, was she already planning to cling to the Zhao Family’s resources to go back and support her siblings? Why should the Zhao Family help raise the Lin Family’s children?This marriage was off.Mrs. Qian was so furious that her chest ached, rushing home in a flurry.Hearing the commotion, Zhao Zhengping came out to see Mrs. Qian leaning back in a chair, clutching her chest with a hand, her face looking extremely unpleasant."Mother, what's wrong? Are you ill? Should I call a doctor?"Mrs. Qian caught her breath and quickly waved her hand: "No need, I'm just too angry. I'll be fine once I calm down." Calling a doctor would cost a lot, and even though their family managed to get by, her son still needed to study and take the imperial exams. Every penny had to be spent carefully."What made you so angry? What if it harms your health?" Having relied on each other for many years, Zhao Zhengping was naturally very filial toward his mother."Ah, don't even mention it. Speaking of this matter, it's all my fault. I originally thought Lin Dazhuang was capable and his family background wasn't bad. Marrying his daughter might even help you in the future. Who would have thought he'd pass away and his family would fall apart? Just now, I ran into Lin Qinghe…"She then recounted what had happened earlier and concluded, "We really can't go through with this marriage. Their whole family is a burden, a bottomless pit. Our family's meager savings aren't enough to fill it."Hearing this, Zhao Zhengping was somewhat stunned: "The Lin family is already in such dire straits?" He spent his days shut indoors studying and truly didn't know about these things."They have no farmland. The family relied on Lin Dazhuang's hunting for a living. Now that he's gone, there's no income. How could they not be struggling? Look at Mrs. Su—she couldn't hold on for long and remarried Butcher Wang. In my opinion, having a remarried mother isn't exactly respectable."Having been a widow all her life, Mrs. Qian didn't think much of women who remarried. Previously, she thought the Wang family was decent, and they might even benefit a little—like getting an extra couple of ounces of meat or some offal bones as a gift, which she wouldn't mind.But now, it seemed that wasn't the case. The Lin family had a whole mess of problems, with several children. How much would it cost to raise them all to adulthood?Zhao Zhengping looked troubled: "Mother, Qinghe is very capable. We've been engaged for three years…"Lin Qinghe resembled Mrs. Su in appearance, born beautiful. Growing up with Lin Dazhuang, she had a spirited, lively air about her, even more attractive than Mrs. Su in her youth. How many young men wouldn't want to marry such a girl?Once the engagement was settled, he hadn't thought much about it—sooner or later, she'd be married into the family. But now, if they were to call off the marriage, he naturally wasn't willing."What good is her capability? She has two younger brothers and a younger sister—three mouths to feed!" Speaking of this, Mrs. Qian couldn't help but feel Lin Qinghe was unsuitable to be the Zhao family's daughter-in-law.She glanced at her son with slight surprise. Her son had always been filial and usually listened to whatever she said. Why was he acting like this now? Her eyes suddenly widened."My son, don't tell me you're reluctant to break off the engagement just because Lin Qinghe is pretty? Let me tell you, you can't judge people just by looks. What good is beauty alone? Practical benefits matter more!"She couldn't help but feel inwardly alarmed. It seemed Lin Qinghe really couldn't be married into the family. Even before she was wed, her son was already siding with her. If she were truly brought into the household, wouldn't she, as the mother, have to step back even further? That simply wouldn't do.The son was raised with her own hard work—how could he forget his mother after taking a wife? Lin Qinghe absolutely must not be allowed to enter the Zhao Family's door. This marriage arrangement must be resolved as soon as possible. Moreover, the Lin Family is nothing but a burden and must be cast off early. Otherwise, the longer it drags on, the more entangled things will become, and it will also delay her son from arranging another good marriage.

Eldest Sister of a Farming Family: Managing the Household, Farming and Opening Shops