Mrs. Yang was quite taken with Juhua's idea, and Mrs. Wang agreed. They both felt that having Qingmu learn to read was a very important matter.
Before Qingmu could object, Juhua told him, "Brother, don't be so quick to say no. Let's wait and see how the harvest is next year. If our family has a good harvest, then you'll go. Aren't there men in their thirties and forties still trying to become a Scholar or a scholar? What's the big deal about you starting school at your age? If you learn more things, won't our family have a better life in the future?"
Qingmu gave his sister a strange look. 'When did she come to understand so much?'
Mrs. Yang, however, made the decision on the spot, determined to send her son to school next year. 'My daughter has such foresight. How can I, her mother, be less perceptive? Juhua's right. The most important thing is to learn more skills. Otherwise, won't we just stay poor working at home every day? Haven't his father and I worked for half our lives, only for our family to remain the same?'
Mrs. Wang looked at Juhua with admiration. "If you ask me, Juhua is the smartest one in our family!" 'Poor child,' she thought. 'If only it weren't for her face…'
Juhua smiled, pressing her lips together. She knew they were all worried about her and chose their words carefully.
Seeing that his mother was serious about him going to school, Qingmu asked hesitantly, "If I go to school, how will we manage all the work at home?"
Mrs. Yang said, displeased, "Don't you still have your father and me? Our old bones haven't fallen apart yet! It's not like we're sending you off to have fun. Even your little sister wants you to go. She has much more insight than you."
Juhua said to Qingmu, "Brother, I want to learn to read too!"
Qingmu stared at Juhua, dumbfounded and unsure how to respond.
Juhua said softly, "You also think I don't look the part for school, right? If you go study, couldn't you come back and teach me to read? You'd be going to school alone, but you'd be learning for the both of us." She finished speaking and stared at Qingmu without blinking.
Qingmu immediately nodded firmly. "Alright. I'll go to school, and I'll learn as much as I can to come back and teach you, little sister."
With her wish fulfilled, Juhua felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She beamed at Qingmu. 'I can definitely afford to send you to school,' she thought. 'I'm sure I can raise these pigs and chickens well.'
Mrs. Yang and Mrs. Wang were also ecstatic, acting as if Qingmu would become a great scholar the moment he set foot in a school.
Once the acorns were shelled, the rest was left to the two siblings while their grandmother and Mrs. Yang returned to the kitchen. Following Juhua's instructions, Qingmu crushed the kernels and soaked them in a wooden bucket. Afterward, he changed the water every so often—four or five times in total. After soaking for two days, he fed them to the pigs, which readily ate the acorns.
In the kitchen, as she cooked with Mrs. Wang's help, Mrs. Yang wiped away tears and said to her mother, "Mom, what are we going to do about our Juhua? Every time I see what a sweet girl she is, my heart just breaks."
Mrs. Wang sighed. "That's why you must work so hard! Sending Qingmu to school is the right move. As long as you and your husband do well for yourselves, it won't matter even if Juhua truly can't get married."
Mrs. Yang nodded and asked Mrs. Wang, "Mom, what is Liu Fugui's daughter's character like? I'm not worried about anything else, just that she'll look down on our Juhua."
Mrs. Wang laughed. "Nothing's set in stone yet, so why are you worrying? In my opinion, no matter whose daughter he marries, you two should have them live separately after the wedding. That way, even if she despises her sister-in-law, she won't be able to do much about it—you won't be eating out of the same pot, after all. Juhua is no worse than Liu Fugui's daughter. When the time comes, you, your husband, and your daughter will build a flourishing life for yourselves. You won't have to bow to anyone!"
Mrs. Yang nodded again and again, feeling the words had struck a chord. It was better to rely on oneself than on anyone else. Even if Qingmu treated Juhua well, they couldn't put him in a difficult position between his wife and his sister after he married.
The mother and daughter then discussed hiring a matchmaker to visit the Liu Fugui family. After careful deliberation, they chose Matchmaker Wang from Qingbei Village for the task. It wasn't that Matchmaker Wang was particularly skilled, but she lived nearby, which meant they would hear any news right away.
At noon, Zheng Changhe came home. He was very happy to see his mother-in-law and gave a simple, honest smile. In one hand, he carried a string of small fish threaded onto a twig, which he dangled before Juhua like a treasure. "My girl," he said, "this is for you to make soup with. These fish won't cause a reaction."
Juhua knew he was referring to the time she had an allergic reaction on her face after eating shrimp. A warmth spread through her heart. She glanced at her dad, took the string of fish, and said softly, "I'll go prepare them. They'll be ready in a bit. It's perfect timing, since Grandma's here and we're short on dishes."
At the lunch table, Mrs. Yang told her husband that both she and Juhua supported the idea of their son going to school.
Of course, Zheng Changhe agreed as well. He didn't have many children and doted on his son and daughter. Besides, both kids were sensible and obedient, so he never objected to anything that concerned them.
"The other day, I think I overheard someone say our village has taken in an old Scholar, and the village chief plans to hire him to teach the local children. That way, the kids who want to study won't have to travel all the way to Xiatang Market. If that's true, it'll be incredibly convenient!"
Qingmu's face stiffened upon hearing this. 'Does that mean I'll have to sit and study with a bunch of little, snot-nosed kids?'
Juhua's eyes sparkled as she looked at her brother, daring him to back out.
Remembering his important mission, Qingmu steeled himself and said, "I'll go to the village chief's house this afternoon to ask about it. If it's true, I should start as soon as possible."
Only then did Juhua give a satisfied smile. Mrs. Yang and Zheng Changhe also nodded in approval.
Mrs. Wang beamed. "If Qingmu goes to school, he's sure to have a promising future. Your grandma is waiting to benefit from your success!"
Zheng Changhe laughed. "Mom, listen to yourself. Qingmu and Juhua will both take good care of you in the future."
But Mrs. Wang wasn't one to sit around and be pampered. After lunch at Juhua's home, she disregarded Mrs. Yang's pleas for her to stay and hurried back—she had plenty of her own chores to attend to!
Qingmu left with his grandmother. Since he was on his way to the village chief's house to ask about the school, he offered to walk her part of the way. Mrs. Yang had packed a bag of peanuts for her mother that weighed more than ten pounds!
"Qingmu, where are you headed?" Just as they left Qingnan Village, an ox cart caught up from behind, and the villager driving it called out.
"Oh, Uncle Cheng! I'm seeing my grandma off. Where are you headed, Uncle?" Qingmu quickly asked when he saw Old Cheng on the ox cart. Usually, he wouldn't have answered so thoroughly, but today he hoped to ask if the man was heading the same way and could give his grandmother a ride.
Old Cheng grinned broadly. "I'm heading to Xiatang Market to haul some things. Tell your grandma to hop on; I'll give her a ride."
Qingmu was thrilled and quickly helped his grandmother onto the cart.
Mrs. Wang said with a chuckle, "Well, thank you for going to the trouble, young man! I'll take you up on your offer."
Old Cheng laughed. "Don't say that, it's no trouble at all. It's on my way. Sit tight! Hiyah!"
Once Mrs. Wang was settled, she waved to Qingmu. "Go on, Qingmu, get to your business! Come visit Grandma when you're free!"
Qingmu called out his agreement, watching as the cart bumped along into the distance. Only then did he turn and head for the village chief's house.
He hadn't taken more than a few steps when a figure approached, calling out in pleasant surprise, "Qingmu! What brings you out here?"
Qingmu saw it was Zhang Huai. His sleeves and pant legs were rolled up as if he had just returned from the fields. Qingmu snorted, stuck his nose in the air, and walked right past him without a word.
Zhang Huai hurried to block his path. "Qingmu, come on, are you still mad? Please don't be, alright? How about... you hit me again?"
Seeing Zhang Huai blocking him, Qingmu said irritably, "Who's mad at you? I just can't be bothered with you!" He shot him a disdainful look, stepped around him, and strode off.
Zhang Huai rushed to catch up, offering apologies and soft words, begging for forgiveness. Qingmu was his only real friend in the village, and being ignored for days on end was frustrating enough to drive him mad.
Qingmu spun around, his face tight with anger, and glared at him. "Still following me? Get lost!" he snapped, before turning and walking away again.
Zhang Huai watched Qingmu's determined retreat, his heart a mix of guilt, sadness, and anger. He was sad that Qingmu was truly ignoring him. He was angry, of course, at that loud-mouthed Granny Hua. And he was guilty for speaking without thinking, causing Juhua to become the target of idle gossip.
'Mom was right. If Juhua's face hadn't been scarred by that poison, I probably couldn't have hoped for this marriage even if I begged for it. Thinking about it, aside from the issue with her face, Juhua was gentle and virtuous, and he couldn't find a single other fault in her.' At this thought, his regret deepened.
As he stood there, lost in a thousand conflicting thoughts, a thin woman came sauntering over, swaying her hips. Who else could it be but Granny Hua?
"Well, well! Huai Zi, what're you doin'? Just standin' here like a blockhead?" Granny Hua grinned, her eyes darting about as she scanned Zhang Huai with a probing gaze. 'Did he run into some family's daughter? Is he lovesick?' She never missed the slightest morsel of village gossip.
Zhang Huai was furious. He glared viciously at Granny Hua, wanting to curse her out. But he was her junior; if he did, she might just twist his words into something even nastier, and that would be a huge headache.
So, he turned to leave, muttering under his breath, "People who spread rumors behind others' backs will have their tongues pulled out in hell!"
Granny Hua had been eagerly anticipating a chance to wheedle some information out of the young man, but his words caught her off guard. She immediately grew indignant. "Hey now, Huai Zi, what's that supposed to mean? When have I ever spread rumors? Oh, is this about the Juhua affair? Didn't you yourself say you wouldn't marry her that day? Did I just invent that? You're the one who said it, and now you're blaming me for repeating it?"
Zhang Huai was so angry he could have eaten Granny Hua alive! 'Then again, no,' he thought, 'she's too scrawny and stinks of powder and rouge. Better just to give her a sound thrashing.' Since he couldn't actually lay a hand on her, he had to content himself with fantasizing about beating Granny Hua until she squawked and shrieked.
Granny Hua perked up, ready to argue the point with Zhang Huai. Perhaps she could get more details about the "ugly girl incident" and find out what the parties involved were thinking. But Zhang Huai walked off without a backward glance, leaving her with a bellyful of questions she couldn't ask, which was incredibly frustrating. In the end, she resentfully headed for Liu'er's house—to discuss with Liu'er's mother whether there was a chance Zhang Huai had changed his mind about marrying Juhua.
Shaking off Huai Zi, Qingmu arrived at the courtyard of the village chief, Li Gengtian. The yard was enclosed by a stone wall, over which one could see whitewashed walls, dark roof tiles, and a pleasant mix of trees and bamboo—all signs of the village chief's considerable wealth.
He knocked on the sturdy courtyard gate, and an aged voice called from within, "Coming!"