Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands

Chapter 444 - 425: Choosing a Partner (2)

Chen the Third, frightened, quickly put down the teacup and pulled up his scarf to cover his mouth.

Li Yuzhu glanced at him, then went outside to greet them, "Mr. Song, Jinxiu, you are here?"

Li Xingmao also came out, and respectfully greeted Mr. Song with a cupped hand salute, "Mr. Song."

Mr. Song smiled and returned the salute, "Li Dalang."

Li Xingmao invited Mr. Song into the main hall.

Li Yuzhu took Song Jinxiu inside as well, but after Song Jinxiu paid her respects to Prince Luling and his wife, Li Yuzhu led her away.

With Chen the Third in the room, it was not convenient for Song Jinxiu to stay there.

Li Yuzhu took Song Jinxiu to her bedroom.

The Great Princess and the Second Princess went to the market, so no one was in the room.

Once inside, Song Jinxiu dared to take off her snow hat and face-covering cloth.

She let out a breath, "Miss Li, that person just now, is he the Third Son of the Chen Family you mentioned?"

Li Yuzhu walked to the corner of the room to light the small stove for brewing tea.

Nowadays, with the cold weather, every room in the Li Family’s house had a small stove, convenient for brewing hot tea or boiling water for hand washing at any time.

The stove was only about a foot high, and it was easy to ignite the charcoal using fine straw.

Li Yuzhu turned around and smiled at her, "Yes, he is Chen the Third from Huang Village, his full name is Chen Sanlang."

After lighting the stove, Li Yuzhu picked up a small copper pot full of clear water and placed it on top of the stove, then turned to get some tea leaves.

Watching her busy herself, Song Jinxiu bit her lip and said, "I’ve met him before."

Li Yuzhu feigned surprise and said, "Oh? You’ve met? So what do you need me to mediate for?"

She laughed.

Song Jinxiu’s face flushed a deep red, "We’ve just met, and I bought my two cleavers from him."

Li Yuzhu had already guessed.

She said, "So, what do you think of Chen the Third?"

Recalling how Chen the Third once helped her, Song Jinxiu said with embarrassment, "I... I can’t say for sure, he’s okay."

Not colluding with Tian Sanbao, capable of standing up for the weak when witnessing injustice, shows his character is not too bad.

"Okay? Are you sure? This person, you can’t just focus on the merits; you need to find faults in him to avoid future regrets," Li Yuzhu said seriously, looking at her.

In her previous life, several of her friends who married early complained about their unhappy marriages, and some divorced within months.

She thought they were being overly sensitive, divorcing over small issues.

But when she understood the reasons behind it, she agreed they did well to separate.

Though divorced, the good mood never returned.

Innocent girls turned into resentful women.

The reason was, when they chose a partner, they only focused on their good points, such as someone being witty and good-looking, or able to make money, or having a good job, or parents being wealthy, or being an urban local, or being outgoing like a protective gang brother.

They were infatuated with their partner’s qualities and ignored their flaws.

After marriage, the opposite of those qualities turned out to be unbearable flaws.

Good-looking and talkative ones turned out to be playboys, continuing to flirt around after marriage and even bringing an illegitimate child after many years to split the property;

The ones making money insulted homemakers for idling and even resorted to domestic violence;

Those with good jobs turned out to be gamblers, even misappropriating public funds for gambling;

Rich parents treated the woman like an outsider, afraid she’d take their money back to her family;

Urban locals fine-tuned by native relatives harassed rural-origin wives, putting on shoes so tight they never fit;

The outgoing gang brothers stirred trouble everywhere, bringing friends who indulged in all vices frequently, causing alarm and fear every day.

Of course, it’s not about completely ignoring the good traits, but rather not only focusing on the traits alone. One should look for significant flaws in a seemingly outstanding person.

For instance, as mentioned above.

However, some flaws can be overlooked, such as a reluctance to do housework without prompting; being homebound, not liking social visits; not tidying, leaving things lying around; loving to save, disliking extravagant holidays; chronically forgetting wife’s birthday; having no sense of style, being plain; or being short with unremarkable looks, and so on.

These flaws are really no big deal.

Who doesn’t have a few minor flaws?

Song Jinxiu looked at her, and blinked, "Miss Li, you’re younger than me, how do you already know how to assess men?"

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "I’ve traveled to many places and lived in the Capital. I picked up these things from listening to others chat." She patted Song Jinxiu’s arm. "Alright, let’s not get sidetracked; we’re discussing serious matters. You really need to think carefully about my advice. Consider whether there are any flaws in Chen the Third’s character that you absolutely can’t tolerate. Oh, and by the way, his mouth is crooked, but he covered his chin today, so you couldn’t see it."

Song Jinxiu thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "I’ve only met him once, so I don’t know if he has any flaws. I’ll ask my grandpa about it later."

Li Yuzhu said, "Yes, discuss it more with Mr. Song."

The two chatted over tea in the bedroom for about an hour before Li Xingmao came to call them, saying that Mr. Song and Chen Sanlang were done talking and it was time to leave.

Li Yuzhu put down her teacup, "Got it, big brother, I’ll take Jinxiu to wait for him at the front yard."

Song Jinxiu put her cloak back on, covering her hair with a snow hat and her face with a cloth scarf.

Li Yuzhu couldn’t help but laugh at her attire, "Jinxiu, you’ve already met Chen Sanlang, do you really need to wrap up so tightly?"

Song Jinxiu replied, "Until my grandfather agrees, I’ll keep it this way."

Li Yuzhu laughed, "Mr. Song really worries about your matters."

With only one granddaughter, the only close relative, he certainly cherishes her, doesn’t he?

Li Yuzhu and Song Jinxiu waited at the gate of the front yard, and soon enough, Mr. Song arrived, escorted by Prince Luling, Li Xingmao, and Chen the Third.

Chen the Third was no longer covering his chin now, as Mr. Song had asked him to remove his face scarf and face him directly while talking.

After all, an ugly grandson-in-law would have to meet the granddaughter’s grandfather sooner or later, so why not just meet? If it works out, great. If not... well, then let it be.

Being single for twenty-nine years isn’t such a big deal to continue for a few more.

He steeled his heart and spoke straightforwardly with Mr. Song.

With no psychological burden, his expression became more natural, and the crooked mouth wasn’t as noticeable.

Mr. Song was momentarily surprised when he initially saw him but remembered that at his age of nearly seventy, he’d seen all kinds of peculiar faces.

Liu Yanbai’s arm was just as strange, and it was no big deal.

He ignored Chen the Third’s crooked mouth and asked about his family matters, what kind of work he usually did, how he spent his free time, whether he gambled, visited brothels, borrowed money without repaying, or had any romantic involvements. In the end, he asked so many questions that Chen the Third was left flustered and bewildered.

Fortunately, many of the questions were things Chen the Third hadn’t encountered, so he only needed to deny them, and the conversation went relatively smoothly.

Mr. Song cupped his hand to bid farewell to the Li Family and got onto the ox cart.

Song Jinxiu bowed to the Li Family, said "Farewell," also got onto the ox cart, and drove it away from the Li Family.

The ox cart traveled quite a distance before Chen the Third was still standing on tiptoe, watching.

He sighed, "Mr. Song didn’t accept the gift I wanted to send; does this mean he dislikes me?"

Only then did Li Yuzhu remember that Mr. Song left empty-handed on the ox cart.

She laughed and said, "Chen the Third, this is the girl’s reserve; how could she casually accept your gift?"

Li Xingmao also said, "Chen the Third, my sister is right. If a girl receives gifts on the first meeting, rumors will spread."

Chen the Third frowned, "So... is Mr. Song interested in me or not?"

Earlier, after asking him several questions, Mr. Song only said it was getting late, and the road was bad in the dark, and they had to leave.

Then, Mr. Song just left with Song Jinxiu without saying if there was an agreement or not.

Chen the Third was scratching his head in anxiety.

Is he too foolish to understand, or are all the teachers intentionally being ambiguous?

Li Xingmao, having sat with the guests and heard their conversation, laughed and said, "Chen the Third, I noticed Mr. Song didn’t intend to reject you."

Chen the Third was delighted, "Really?"

Li Xingmao said, "Yes."

Chen the Third blinked, "But Mr. Song never smiled at me or said I was good."

Li Xingmao chuckled, "Mr. Song didn’t make it clear because he’s assessing you; your next move is up to you."

Chen the Third suddenly understood, cupped his hands, and repeatedly thanked Li Xingmao and Prince Luling, "Thank you for the advice, Mr. Li and Brother Li. Now I know what to do."

He turned around and ran to his mule cart, happily driving to catch up with Mr. Song and the others.