This year, the first batch of spring grain had reached its harvest season. Villagers were sweating in the fields while also revealing the joy of a good harvest—tired but happy.
After last year’s floods, heaven had shown unusual mercy this year. It was a rare year of abundance.
Zhou Qingling looked at the fields of crops, and the heavy stone in her heart finally fell away. She would not be sold.
The Zhou Family owned a large amount of farmland, and the family alone could not finish all the work. In previous years, Mother Zhou would ask her maternal elder brothers to come and help for a few days.
Mother Zhou’s natal family had not separated into individual households. More than twenty people lived together, with plenty of labor, which allowed them to spare time to help their younger sister’s family for a few days.
In previous years, it had always been Third Uncle and Third Uncle’s two sons who came. This year, however, Uncle Xi and his youngest son came instead.
Mother Zhou did not think much of it and specially slaughtered a large rooster from home to entertain them. Since they had come to help, and were still her own brothers, she had to properly host them.
Father Zhou warmly received Uncle Xi, Zhao Xihu, when he arrived.
It could be seen that the two families maintained a very good relationship.
In the fields, Zhou Qingling swung her sickle, but she always felt a sticky gaze behind her staring at her. She straightened her back and looked back—it was Uncle Xi’s son, called Zhuzi.
Since yesterday, when he arrived, Zhou Qingling had already felt that this cousin’s gaze toward her was extremely uncomfortable—staring fixedly and disturbingly sticky. Her first impression of him had been very poor.
Beauty or ugliness was given by parents, but a person’s behavior came from themselves. This cousin was short, and his appearance was not pleasing at all; he had completely inherited Uncle Xi’s worst traits. In modern terms, he was “lecherous.”
She therefore tried to avoid him and kept her distance.
Seeing his own son staring straight at the young girl, Zhao Xihu walked over without showing it on his face and pushed him.
He used his eyes to warn him to behave properly. Only then did Zhao Zhuzi withdraw his gaze and lower his head to continue working.
Zhao Xihu sighed inwardly. His son’s thoughts were completely written on his face. What was the use of staring like that? It brought no real benefit at all.
The reason this branch of the family came this year to help his younger sister’s household was entirely because of this boy. His youngest son was seventeen this year and had not found a suitable girl in the village. Their family conditions were average and could not afford a large betrothal gift, yet the boy still wanted to marry a beautiful wife.
So this year he volunteered to come, bringing his son along, thinking that his younger sister still had an unmarried niece in the household. Since they were all familiar kin, it would be a case of strengthening ties through marriage, and he believed his younger sister would not refuse her elder brother’s face.
He had not considered why his son still had not found a wife. Perhaps Zhao Xihu knew, but simply did not want to admit it.
As the old saying went: “A dung beetle still thinks its child is fragrant; a hedgehog still thinks its child is beautiful.”
Zhou Qingling bundled the cut rice stalks into neat piles for easier transport back home. Suddenly, a pair of large hands rested on the bundle she had just tied.
Zhou Qingling quickly withdrew her hands. Zhao Zhuzi wore a foolishly smiling, honest expression and said: “Cousin, I’ll help you.”
Zhou Qingling’s expression turned very displeased. She knew that at this moment her attitude had to be firm. If she showed avoidance, this person would think she was shy and would only become more overbearing.
She said angrily: “Cousin Zhuzi, there are so many rice stalks in the field that you are not bundling. Why are you grabbing the one I’ve already tied? Do you want to slack off?”
After speaking, she turned and went to continue working beside Father Zhou.
Father Zhou had seen everything and was also displeased in his heart. However, due to his elder brother-in-law’s face and the fact that they had come to help, he could not say anything. Throughout the entire day, Zhou Qingling stayed by Father Zhou’s side working.
During these busy harvest days, Zhou Qingling never gave this cousin a good expression and spoke to him coldly. She thought that since her attitude was already so clear, any normal person would have backed off. But she still underestimated a man’s determination to take a wife.
Harvesting crops was exhausting work. At this time, everyone in the family—men, women, young, and old—had to work together, and no one had the energy to go to town. It was also the time when physical strength needed to be replenished, so butchers would bring pork into the village to sell.
That afternoon, Mother Zhou gave Zhou Qingling some copper coins and asked her to buy a pound of meat to nourish the family.
As the sun was about to set, Zhou Qingling returned home to cook, so that those working in the fields could eat as soon as they came back.
The meals were very simple, unlike the frying, stir-frying, steaming, and stewing of modern times. She made twice the usual amount of steamed buns, picked some vegetables from the yard, and added sliced meat into the pot—everything cooked in one pot, saving time, effort, and firewood.
When it was almost done, Zhou Qingling stopped adding firewood and let the remaining heat finish cooking.
The people working in the fields returned at this time. The kitchen was hot and humid, so the dining table was set up in the courtyard.
Zhou Qingling quickly placed out the bowls and chopsticks. Just as she was about to ladle out the soup, a voice she disliked sounded beside her.
“Cousin, be careful not to burn yourself. Let me help you.”
As he spoke, his hands came to rest over Zhou Qingling’s hands.
Zhou Qingling was shocked and immediately pushed him away. However, the difference in strength between men and women was too great. Zhao Zhuzi kept moving closer, forcing her step by step backward until she was pushed against the wall. Just as Zhao Zhuzi leaned his head toward her, Zhou Qingling immediately screamed.
“Father! Mother! Help!”
Zhao Zhuzi had not expected her to shout for help. This was different from what his mother had told him. Wasn’t it said that women feared losing their reputation the most? Even if something really happened, they would only endure it in silence and not dare to speak out.
He thought that once he touched her, she would have no choice but to marry him—and he could also take advantage of her in the process.
Zhao Zhuzi looked at his aunt and Lin Guihua who had entered the kitchen, his face turning red. He wanted to say something but did not know what to say.
With a chance to breathe, Zhou Qingling’s anger surged. She no longer held back and cursed loudly:
“Zhao Zhuzi, although I am still young, you are already of marriageable age. Don’t you know that men and women should keep their distance and avoid suspicion?”
“Don’t you understand propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame? Or are you doing this on purpose to ruin my reputation? If so, you are truly shameless! All my mother’s kindness toward you has been wasted!”
“You are doing this to damage our family’s reputation. My younger brother still needs to pursue an official career. Are you trying to make our entire family unable to hold our heads up in the village?”
She deliberately brought Zhou Guanghe into the matter. She understood her place in Mother Zhou’s heart, but Zhou Guanghe was the hope of the entire family. For his future, Mother Zhou would not allow Zhao Zhuzi to act recklessly.
When these words were spoken, Mother Zhou who had just entered immediately looked very unhappy. She had not failed to notice her nephew’s intentions these past few days, but she had been conflicted.
Her natal family was not as well-off as her own household. If the girl married into their side, she would bring no benefit to the family. Yet she still felt for her nephew. These past few days, Uncle Xi had also been hinting repeatedly that Zhao Zhuzi had taken a liking to the third girl.
Last night, she had discussed it with Father Zhou. Her husband shared the same view and did not approve of the marriage.
Mother Zhou had been unable to decide in her heart. Hearing the third girl say this, she finally woke up—this matter could not be allowed to ruin their family reputation.
Compared to her nephew, she would naturally choose her own children.
Zhou Qingling did not stop. Since things had already escalated, she might as well make everything clear. She also saw that Mother Zhou was hesitating, so she had to cut off this matter completely at the root.
If she waited until Uncle Xi spoke up, it would be too late, and it would also damage her future reputation.
She continued: “There is no mirror at home, and your family doesn’t even have a water vat—you should at least look at your reflection. My Second Elder Sister married into town, and my younger brother is now studying at the Village School. A toad trying to eat swan meat—you should see whether you are worthy!”
Her words were harsh and proud, deliberately showing disdain. She wanted to completely extinguish Zhao Zhuzi’s thoughts.
After speaking, she threw down the ladle and went into Father Zhou and Mother Zhou’s room.
The family members were all shocked by her outburst. For a moment, no one spoke. They had not expected the usually quiet third girl to become so fierce.
Lin Guihua held the child and thought to herself that the young aunt had been pushed to the limit—indeed, even a rabbit bites when cornered. She glanced at the stunned Zhao Zhuzi with contempt. As a daughter-in-law of the family, she could not say anything, so she simply watched the drama unfold.
Zhao Zhuzi’s face turned even redder. Mother Zhou was the first to react and said lightly: “Ah, the Third girl has been spoiled by us. Eldest daughter-in-law, hurry and serve the food. Everyone has worked hard all day.”
Zhao Xihu, who was in the courtyard, also felt his face burn when he heard Zhou Qingling’s criticism of his son. However, he was more displeased—this was clearly disrespect toward him. A yellow-haired girl actually dared to act so boldly in front of him, an elder. He said coldly:
“A girl is really getting out of hand. With such a fierce temperament, what decent family would dare to marry her? I think she should be tied up and beaten a few times. If she marries into our family in the future, our household will teach her a lesson.”
Father Zhou’s expression darkened instantly after hearing Uncle Xi’s words. What “marrying into their family” without proper matchmaker arrangements or betrothal gifts—how convenient it sounded.
Previously, he had not interacted much with Uncle Xi, but now he realized what kind of person he was. A relative like this was better off not maintaining ties with.
“My third daughter is still young and not in a hurry to marry. There is no need for such anger, Uncle Xi.” Father Zhou said calmly. “What my daughter said is right. Although Zhuzi is a young man of marriageable age, and although cousins are closer than outsiders, one still must maintain proper boundaries. If the child does not understand this, then as elders we should guide him properly. Otherwise, it becomes our responsibility as parents if he goes astray.”
After these words, Zhao Xihu’s face could no longer hold. He understood this was a rejection of the marriage proposal and almost slammed the table and left.
Seeing the situation turn awkward, Mother Zhou quickly stepped in to smooth things over. Only then did she manage to stabilize both Zhao Xihu and Zhao Zhuzi. Zhao Xihu truly wanted to leave, but returning home would take two to three hours, and by then it would already be dark. There would be no food waiting for them either.
Food was precious at this time, especially since there was meat being cooked in the Zhou household. The Zhao family had many mouths to feed and rarely ate meat.
After the meal, apart from a few words from Mother Zhou, the atmosphere at the table was extremely awkward.
Mother Zhou left a steamed bun and a bowl of soup for Zhou Qingling, asking Lin Guihua to bring it to her room.
The next day, Zhao Xihu and Zhao Zhuzi left.