Am I a Sow?
When Zhao Danian saw that it was the village head’s youngest daughter, Tian Yuniang, he said in surprise, “What is it?”
Tian Yuniang lowered her voice and said, “I saw you meeting Miss Shen today. Brother Danian, you like her, don’t you?”
Zhao Danian grinned and said, “That’s right!”
Seeing his smile, Tian Yuniang only felt an unbearable pain in her heart. She bit her pink lip in unwillingness and said, “The Shen family is a major landlord family in the county town. People like them and people like us farmers are worlds apart. Besides, you don’t even understand the Zhao family’s situation. You two aren’t suited for each other.”
Zhao Danian frowned and said seriously, “I know I’m not good enough for Miss Shen, but she doesn’t mind my background. The Shen family came to our home first to arrange an introduction, so even Old Master Shen doesn’t care that my family is poor. I’ll work hard in the future to become someone more worthy of her.”
Tian Yuniang hurriedly said, “That would be very hard for you. Why bother? We’re clearly more suited for each other. You know I’ve always liked you.”
Zhao Danian was shocked and stepped back, quickly shaking his head. “I only see you as a younger sister. Don’t say things like that again. It wouldn’t be good if others heard it. I still have things to do, I’m going.”
Seeing him run off so quickly, Tian Yuniang stomped her foot in anger. Not caring whether anyone might hear, she shouted, “I won’t give up!”
While Shen Taohua continued to manage rent collection, she also had Ping’an and Liu Mao observe the Zhao family’s situation. They discovered that the Zhao family, unlike Mother Song, did not get carried away and start spreading rumors just because there was a possibility of an alliance with the Shen family. Instead, they remained very low-key and continued living their lives.
Oh, right, Mother Zhao had apparently visited several families she was on good terms with and also went back to her maternal home, seemingly really preparing to borrow money to gather betrothal gifts.
Of course, that alone was not enough to move her.
Just as she was thinking of a way to turn the matter down, another subordinate of Wen Tie, who also lived in Datian Village, brought shocking news.
“Is that really true?” Shen Taohua and Ping’an both widened their eyes and looked at the thin, tall man in front of them, Li Sanliu.
Li Sanliu let out a sigh. “How could it be false? Many people in the village already know, but since Aunt Zhao and Zhao Danian are decent people, everyone has been keeping it to themselves out of respect.”
Ping’an was sweating anxiously. “How could the Zhao family do something like this? Miss, this is improper!”
Shen Taohua thought to herself: not just improper, it was extremely improper.
When she previously looked into Zhao Danian’s background, she only saw that the Zhao family was simple in terms of household members, but she overlooked something very important.
Zhao Danian’s father had died, and he had delayed marriage due to mourning, but Zhao Dashun was three years older than Zhao Danian and already twenty-two this year, yet he was still unmarried!
But don’t let your imagination run wild thinking the Zhao family was doing something like brothers sharing a wife; it wasn’t that bizarre.
The reason Zhao Dashun still hadn’t married was that a few years ago he had an affair with a married woman in the village. After the woman’s husband discovered it, he kicked him and ruined his manhood, Zhao Dashun was now unable to perform sexually.
The villagers all knew about this matter, so no one in the village was willing to marry him.
The Zhao family, at their core, were fairly honest people, and they had never considered spending money to buy a wife from some remote place.
But, that wasn’t the main point.
The key issue was this!
Zhao Dashun being unable to have children meant he could not carry on the family line, and in ancient times, people placed great importance on continuing the ancestral lineage.
According to the information Li Sanliu provided, the Zhao family was planning that in the future, one of Zhao Danian’s sons would be adopted by Zhao Dashun to carry on his line.
In other words, if Shen Taohua really married into the Zhao family, then any children she had would have to call Zhao Dashun “father”!
What a joke!
Shen Taohua absolutely could not accept her child calling someone other than her husband “father”!
She asked Li Sanliu, “What about Zhao Danian? What does he think? Would he agree to this?”
Li Sanliu replied tactfully, “Zhao Danian is famously filial in Datian Village.”
Shen Taohua understood, and felt even more speechless.
After holding it in for a while, she still couldn’t help it and had Liu Mao call the person involved back to the manor again.
After hearing her question, Zhao Danian was as straightforward as when they first met.
“My elder brother won’t be able to have children in the future, so my mother said that one of my sons will be adopted by him to continue the family line. I think that makes sense too. Otherwise, when my brother gets old and passes away, there won’t even be anyone to knock over the mourning bowl for him.”
Shen Taohua was full of complaints she didn’t even know where to start.
“Have you considered whether your future wife would agree to this?”
Whether you’ve sorted out your own sense of brotherly duty is your business, why should the woman you marry have to bear it too?
Besides, what if the first child is a daughter? Or even the second child?
Zhao Dashun needs a son to carry on the family line, so wouldn’t Zhao Danian himself definitely need to leave at least one son as well?
In other words, if she wasn’t careful, marrying into this family would mean being treated like a breeding sow!
They weren’t even after the woman’s family wealth, they were after her womb!
“Why wouldn’t she agree?”
Zhao Danian said in confusion, “The child is still part of the Zhao family. Even if they have to call my elder brother ‘father,’ their blood relationship with us can’t be erased, they’re still our child.”
Shen Taohua quickly made a stopping gesture. “Don’t say ‘we.’ You are you, and I am me. I can’t control what you think, but if it were me, I would never agree to something like this. My child will never be adopted by someone else to raise!”
Zhao Danian opened his mouth, looking somewhat troubled, his brows tightly furrowed.
It wasn’t that he was dissatisfied; he simply couldn’t understand why Shen Taohua would disagree.
Seeing this, Shen Taohua felt even more helpless.
So this was exactly why she had always resisted blind dates, and even marriage.
Because often she could feel a fundamental difference in worldview between herself and these people from this era. Many thoughts and beliefs simply couldn’t be mutually understood, and this wasn’t something that could be solved by ordinary post-marriage adjustment.
Shen Taohua said, “Anyway, that’s how it is. Being filial to your mother and getting along lovingly with your brother is your freedom, but I don’t want to, and I certainly won’t accept bearing responsibilities that shouldn’t fall on me. From this, it’s clear we’re not suitable. Let’s end this blind date here.”
With that, she left first, leaving Zhao Danian alone, reaching out as if to call her back but unable to speak, his face full of disappointment and loss.
After parting with Zhao Danian, Shen Taohua left the estate and planned to walk elsewhere to clear her mind of all the speechlessness.
However, she had not gone far when someone stopped her.
She looked at the young woman in front of her, clearly delicate in appearance but unfamiliar, and asked, puzzled, “Who are you?”
As she spoke, she casually ran a system scan over her, briefly skimming the information. After seeing a few key details, she couldn’t help but let out a soft “oh?” in her mind.
【Name: Tian Yuniang.】
【Romantic history: secretly in love with Zhao Danian from the same village.】
【Favorability: 20】
A lot of information there!
Generally speaking, a first encounter usually results in a favorability of around 30 to 40. Anything below 30 basically counts as “dislike.”
She was certain she had never met Tian Yuniang before. So did this girl dislike her because of Zhao Danian?
Did she know that Zhao Danian liked her?
So stopping her now was… a declaration of war?
But she had already made things clear with Zhao Danian. This girl was a bit late.
Tian Yuniang, however, had no idea that in just a few seconds, Shen Taohua had already uncovered all her details.
She secretly looked at Shen Taohua’s even more delicate and striking appearance, as well as her expensive clothing, and couldn’t help but feel a bit inferior.
Ever since childhood, she had been the most beautiful girl in Datian Village. Her father was the village chief, and wherever she went, people flattered and fawned over her. She was known as the village’s finest flower, and she had always taken pride in that.
But at that moment, standing before Shen Taohua, who came from a wealthy city family, she suddenly realized how laughable her past pride had been, and how shallow her understanding truly was.
For a brief moment, Tian Yuniang wanted to cover her face and run away to hide somewhere no one could find her. But thinking of her Brother Danian, she still mustered her courage, gritted her teeth, and lifted her head again.
Shen Taohua felt a jolt of unease when she met that gaze filled with resentment.
Could this girl be one of those “white lotus” types trying to frame her?
Just as she was considering whether to strike first, Tian Yuniang spoke.
“I know Miss Shen has recently been… meeting with Brother Danian… with the Zhao family for a match.” Tian Yuniang bit her lip. “The Zhao family is just an ordinary farming household in the countryside. I’m afraid they are not worthy of a great and wealthy family like the Shen clan.”
Shen Taohua paused slightly, her expression turning faintly strange. She deliberately responded with an “oh?” and said, “So…?”
Tian Yuniang unconsciously tightened her grip on her skirt, speaking firmly.
“To tell you the truth, I have always liked Brother Danian. We are from the same village and practically grew up together. Whether in terms of feelings or social standing, we are well matched. I hope Miss Shen will not compete with me.
You are the daughter of a wealthy city family, surely many young gentlemen admire you. But I only have Brother Danian! Please, I beg you, please let him go!”
Shen Taohua studied her for a moment without answering immediately, then asked, “Since you’re also from the village, you should know about the Zhao family situation, right? I mean, Zhao Dashun’s matter.”
Tian Yuniang froze, thinking for a moment before replying, “You mean the fact that in the future, one of Brother Danian’s children will be adopted by Zhao Dashun?”
Shen Taohua nodded. “Since you know that, you still want to marry Zhao Danian?”
Tian Yuniang was a clever girl. She immediately noticed Shen Taohua’s resistance toward this issue, and the faint hope she had not dared to fully entertain suddenly turned into strong joy.
She smiled sincerely and said, “Zhao Dashun is the eldest branch of the Zhao family. It’s only right that Aunt Zhao and Brother Danian want him to have a son to perform ancestral rites in the future. It’s just one adopted child, if I can marry Brother Danian, it’s nothing at all.”
Hearing this, Shen Taohua felt a wave of discomfort.
The way she put it made it sound as if a child were merely an object.
So a child born into your family is supposed to be handed away just to fulfill your feelings for Zhao Danian?
You may prioritize romance if you wish, but what did the child do wrong?
Thinking of this, Shen Taohua’s brows furrowed slightly, and her gaze toward Tian Yuniang turned somewhat cool.
“Don’t worry. I have no interest in Zhao Danian. If you want to marry him, go ahead. No one is competing with you.”
Zhao Danian was not some rare treasure. Since she was willing to accept even that situation involving children, she could have him.
After being repeatedly unsettled by both of them, Shen Taohua found herself unable to tolerate staying in Datian Village any longer.
Just then, the manor needed to send the collected rent grain back to the city, so she simply left with the grain convoy.
Whether Zhao Danian would eventually marry Tian Yuniang remained unknown. But when she returned home and mentioned the matter to her parents, Shen Feibai and his wife immediately changed their expressions.