Listening to this silly man babbling trying to persuade her again and again, without any sign of offering himself. Thinking back to the previous life when he was entangled by Wu Xia, forcing him to take responsibility for her reputation, Shuzhen knew that waiting for him to actively propose marriage was a dream that might not come true in this life, at least not until his life improved in three or five years.
To form a happy family with this guy sooner, Shuzhen had no choice but to take the initiative, striking first!
After all, now that Wu Xia has been driven away, among the remaining relatives, there is probably not a single one who thinks she and Lianshan are suitable. Didn’t see Lianshan himself looking dazed for half the day, shaking his head repeatedly saying it wouldn’t work after realizing what’s going on?
Knowing that he always saw her as an unattainable young lady, yet considered himself even less than those who did odd jobs and guarded beside the young lady. In the previous life, he frequently mentioned that marrying her was a blessing cultivated over several lifetimes, working desperately to earn money every day, just to let her live more relaxedly and freely. For many years, he would rather eat bran and swallow vegetables, patching up clothes repeatedly, but absolutely not allow her to suffer even a bit.
Even though she was immersed in the pain of being betrayed and abandoned in the first half of her life, and went crazy in the latter half being stripped of her child, betrayed by her good son whom she raised herself, he never gave her a good face, always lingering and cumbersome. Yet he never gave up on her, still worried about her even on his deathbed. Holding the eldest son’s hand, and after exhorting each child individually, he finally closed his eyes with regret after gaining their promise to take good care of her...
The whole-heartedly devoted brother Lianshan, would be the first to deny her proposal, it’s no surprise at all to Shuzhen. After all, their brothers owed debts to the production team, and just added a debt of two hundred yuan and fifty kilograms of grain coupons nationwide. Knowing he can’t let her live decently, brother Lianshan would only agree to the proposal right away if something were wrong!
Long prepared for a protracted battle, Shuzhen naturally wasn’t surprised at all. She cried, collapsed, and finally came to terms. After making a round outside, she came back with lunch looking for her younger sister, coincidentally hearing the end that Liu Shouren couldn’t accept!
Good heavens, you’re so poor that even mice shed tears after touring three times inside the house, hey, not quite right, you’re even worse than a family with bare walls! It’s even a proper house for them, yet you squat in a tiny shack where a tall man can’t even stand straight. No money, instead owe hundreds. No support, but burden aplenty. Not to mention an advanced age, where the family is so poor that there might not even be overnight grains, where does the confidence come from to dismiss his precious sister?
The more he thought, the more furious Liu Shouren became, kicking open the thin wooden door with a bang, grabbing the dirt-covered front of Lianshan’s jacket, looking at him with fierce eyes: "You’re nothing but beans strung on a straw rope—unable to pull yourself up, yet dare to despise my sister? Listen, my sister, even if she remarried three times with four or five kids, even then, she more than matches with you, Lianshan.
If she takes a liking to you, that absolutely means redemption from the ancestors of the Lian family’s past deeds. You have eyes but cannot see, drowning in happiness yet unaware, just as well, it spares me the worry of my sister suffering hardships following you...
Kid, since you don’t have that intention, then forget the previous words from Shuzhen, you never heard them either, leave this door and forget them thoroughly. If I hear any gossip about it outside, I’ll count it against you, and have our Shouyi organize you with three meals a day, and won’t let you settle within Liu Village unless you bear it till the end!"
Shuzhen was stunned, completely unexpected that her brother would suddenly rush out coincidentally. Not only did he fiercely berate the man she was actively trying to win over, but also threatened him in various ways?
Goodness gracious, if he keeps going like that, how can I expect to end up in a beautiful relationship with brother Lianshan in this life?
Not waiting for Lianshan to express even a bit of his true thoughts of ’No, no, Brother Liu, you misunderstood, how dare I despise sister Shuzhen? If she takes a liking to me, that’s absolutely the blessing from the ancestors for their good deeds in several past lives. Isn’t it just because my family is poor, fearing she might feel wronged following me!’ Shuzhen hurriedly shielded him, firmly confronting her brother.
Just afraid he’d feel even more inferior, further hurting his self-esteem, giving up on aiming high.
"Brother, you can’t say that about brother Lianshan, though he’s indeed short of money, even in debt, it’s not because he’s dodgy. Now that Lian Hai and Lian Yue have settled down with their small families, they are no longer burdens to brother Lianshan. With him being diligent, thrifty, and able to endure hardships, the days are bound to get better day by day.
Instead, I, with a disgraced name, carrying a small nuisance, to speak the truth am unworthy of a good lad like brother Lianshan!"
Specifically emphasizing the words ’good lad’, telling her brother that even the best girl now is a forsaken woman with a child while the much despised by him Lianshan remains a young lad yet to date. Really judging who matches whom, she, the forsaken woman, truly isn’t worthy of the young lad.
"Sister Shuzhen!" Liu Shouren and Lianshan quickly stopped her, their gazes full of disagreement towards Shuzhen. Giving Lianshan, who dampened his sister’s spirit, a fierce glare, Liu Shouren was the first to speak: "My sister is beautiful, skillful, capable both in bed and on the ground, nowhere around here can one find another good girl like her, she shouldn’t belittle herself like that."
"Exactly, sister Shuzhen, you not only have good looks but also a kind heart, so many people dream of marrying a wife like you..."
"Do those many people include you?" Shuzhen interrupted Lianshan, looking at him full of hope, "After being duped by Dai Weiguo, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, I now hold deep precautions towards all men except my brother, second brother, and you. Just afraid that they might speak human words but act inhumanly, promising heaven and earth before marriage, but change faces right after marrying, having children, seeing no waves could be raised, instantly changing faces.
Like that widow Meng remarried from Nanling Village, being treated without dignity every day.
If things turn out like that, I’d rather stay alone, working on the production team to earn work points, be it tougher, it’s better than being beaten, plus yelled at to add fuel for beating, and kneaded onto the ground.
Brother Lianshan, you’re the one who salvaged me from the big river, protecting me so I didn’t fall after being pushed by Wu Xia, causing even more misfortune. Also, you pulled me back from the surgical table, patiently persuading me to see hope for future days. Speaking of finding a man to live with, I only want you, just you. Do you disdain me for my past marriage, for being abandoned, carrying a disgraced name, and even this little nuisance in my belly?"