Chapter 284: Li Mei Teaching Her Daughter
Laidi stole a glance at Li Mei. “His parents are long gone. They used to live in Tongzhou with his uncle. After his uncle passed away, his aunt chased him back to the countryside. His grandmother also came back with him. They didn’t have much money, so they built a few straw houses.”
He was quite good-looking and talented. Although his parents were no longer around, he had separated from his uncle’s family and it was so difficult for him to bring his blind grandmother along. Li Mei did not despise him for being poor. As long as his character was good, it could be considered a good match.
...After thinking about it, Li Mei asked, “Since he has an elder around, why didn’t he propose? In your heart, is your mother the kind of person who despises the poor and favors the rich? Forget it, why am I still talking about this? If you let him propose, you have to get married before the Imperial Court matches you!”
“Mother, he…” Laidi looked at Li Mei’s disappointed gaze and wanted to say something but hesitated. Li Mei said angrily,” What? He doesn’t intend to marry you? Did you stick to him without any shame? ”
Laidi looked at Li Mei and felt ashamed as tears rolled down her face. She thought that she would be beaten and scolded when she returned home. She did not expect that her mother would not punish her and even ask her to get Fengqi to propose marriage. She had embarrassed them.
Lai Di mustered her courage and looked up at Li Mei. “Fengqi said that he will take the provincial examination in August. After taking the High Scholar examination, he will consider starting a family.”
Li Mei immediately understood the meaning behind his words and sneered.
“Did he personally tell you that he wanted to marry you after taking the High Scholar examination? If I didn’t hear wrongly, he said that he would only consider marriage after taking the High Scholar examination. He didn’t say that he wanted to marry you! Moreover, Ah Qing is also studying. How can you not know that clinching the High Scholar title is just his excuse? Even if he’s capable and takes the High Scholar examination, what if he marries someone else?”
Laidi’s face turned pale as she muttered to herself, “No, Fengqi won’t do this to me.”
Li Mei looked at Laidi’s expression and felt as if her heart had fallen into an icehouse. Her hand that was pointing at Laidi kept trembling. “Have you done that shameless thing with him? Didn’t you always say that your cousin taught you that women need to have self-respect and self-love? You have to cherish yourself so that others won’t look down on you. If you stick to him like this, what will others think of you? You don’t have a status, but you ran to someone else’s house to wash, brush, and give them food and clothes. Where’s your self-respect?”
Laidi looked at Li Mei and was stunned for a moment before she understood. “Mother, I didn’t do anything out of line with him. I just saw that his grandmother couldn’t see and he couldn’t wash his clothes clean, so I went to help. ”
Li Mei looked into Laidi’s eyes and knew that she was not lying. She was relieved and said earnestly, “Laidi! Think about it. Those children in the village have taken a fancy to you and even know to report to their elders to invite a matchmaker to propose marriage. If he is sincere to you, he should do the same and propose marriage. He is pretending to be confused because he doesn’t take you seriously at all and has never thought of giving you the dignity you deserve. Think about it. You will be 18 next year. You don’t even like the children in the village and the two boys that Shopkeeper Chu mentioned. Are you planning to be matched by the Imperial Court next year?”
Laidi knew that Li Mei was right, but her heart had already been lost in the longing for beautiful feelings. She struggled and said, “Mom, I don’t know either. Don’t force me.”
Li Mei saw the hesitation in Laidi’s eyes and gritted her teeth. “Alright, I won’t force you. From today onwards, you’re to stay at home and are not allowed to go anywhere else. I’ll give him ten days. If he has you in his heart, he’ll definitely be worried about you and will invite a matchmaker to the house to propose marriage. If he doesn’t come within ten days, you’ll have to listen to my arrangements and get engaged obediently.”
Laidi looked at Li Mei and knew that this was her biggest concession. She thought to herself that her mother had given him a grace period of ten days. If he did not come to propose within ten days, it would seem that it was really her wishful thinking. In ten days, she would listen to her mother’s arrangements and live like her sister for the rest of her life.
Laidi held hope in her heart and made up her mind. She looked at Li Mei firmly and said, “Mother, I promise you that I won’t go anywhere for the next few days. If he doesn’t come to propose within ten days, I’ll listen to your arrangements and never see him again.”
Li Mei’s hanging heart finally relaxed a little. She pulled up Laidi, who was kneeling on the ground, and said, “Laidi! You have to remember that it’s not easy for us women to live in this world. Once we lose our good reputation, we won’t be respected wherever we go. Scholars are more judgmental and cold than ordinary men. Even if you pester him and marry him, you won’t get his respect and the love you want. Think about Chen Baozhen’s outcome.”
Lai Di recalled how silly Chen Baozhen had become. When she thought of how Chen Baozhen was despised by the villagers for what she had done. She shuddered and became even more determined to abide by the verbal agreement she had made with Li Mei.
Li Mei touched Laidi’s swollen cheek and said with heartache, “Go! Go wash up and apply some medication. Don’t let anyone see the marks.”
“Got it.” Lai Di nodded and stood up to walk toward the bathroom.
Li Mei looked at Laidi as she left and leaned back in her chair in exhaustion. She said to herself, “Are all children debts?” Then, she recalled Li Yu’s letter asking about her mother. She frowned and tried her best to recall the first time she saw her sister-in-law.
That morning, her younger brother carried an unconscious and drenched woman up the mountain. When he said that he was looking for food in the forest below, he saw a woman fall from the mountain path above into the mountain stream below and jump down to save her.
At that time, everyone was fleeing and wore tattered clothes. However, her sister-in-law was still wearing a high-quality dress. The material felt like the kind that Yu’er would send back.
When his sister-in-law woke up in a daze, she called out, ‘Why are you treating me like this?” In the future, she never mentioned how she fell into the mountain stream, nor did she think of looking for her family. She just often looked into the distance in a daze.
When she first settled down in West Mountain, she did not even know how to use the stove. She really did not live like someone who had grown up in the village. She was literate and spoke unhurriedly. Her needlework was done slowly. It was obvious that she had been taught by an embroiderer. Li Mei thought of everything she could think of and called Brother Pig, who was sitting under the eaves of the corridor, into the hall.
Brother Pig glanced at Li Mei, whose eyes were red and swollen. He sat beside her and rubbed her face with his fat hand. “Mom, don’t be angry with Second Sister. I’ll study hard and not embarrass you and Dad.”
Li Mei looked at Brother Pig in relief. She touched the top of his head and said gently, “My Brother Pig has grown up and knows how to dote on your parents.
Go get a pen and paper. I need to dictate something for you to write down.
After that, I want you to give it to Uncle Zhou to pass to your cousin.”
Brother Pig looked at Li Mei with sparkling eyes and nodded hard. “Yes!” Li Mei replayed to Brother Pig what she had thought of and asked Brother Pig to write
It clown ancl reacl It to ner. Atter connrnung tnat tnere was no mistake, sne asked him to send it to the Zhou family..
Chapter 284: Li Mei Teaching Her Daughter
Laidi stole a glance at Li Mei. “His parents are long gone. They used to live in Tongzhou with his uncle. After his uncle passed away, his aunt chased him back to the countryside. His grandmother also came back with him. They didn’t have much money, so they built a few straw houses.”
He was quite good-looking and talented. Although his parents were no longer around, he had separated from his uncle’s family and it was so difficult for him to bring his blind grandmother along. Li Mei did not despise him for being poor. As long as his character was good, it could be considered a good match.
...After thinking about it, Li Mei asked, “Since he has an elder around, why didn’t he propose? In your heart, is your mother the kind of person who despises the poor and favors the rich? Forget it, why am I still talking about this? If you let him propose, you have to get married before the Imperial Court matches you!”
“Mother, he…” Laidi looked at Li Mei’s disappointed gaze and wanted to say something but hesitated. Li Mei said angrily,” What? He doesn’t intend to marry you? Did you stick to him without any shame? ”
Laidi looked at Li Mei and felt ashamed as tears rolled down her face. She thought that she would be beaten and scolded when she returned home. She did not expect that her mother would not punish her and even ask her to get Fengqi to propose marriage. She had embarrassed them.
Lai Di mustered her courage and looked up at Li Mei. “Fengqi said that he will take the provincial examination in August. After taking the High Scholar examination, he will consider starting a family.”
Li Mei immediately understood the meaning behind his words and sneered.
“Did he personally tell you that he wanted to marry you after taking the High Scholar examination? If I didn’t hear wrongly, he said that he would only consider marriage after taking the High Scholar examination. He didn’t say that he wanted to marry you! Moreover, Ah Qing is also studying. How can you not know that clinching the High Scholar title is just his excuse? Even if he’s capable and takes the High Scholar examination, what if he marries someone else?”
Laidi’s face turned pale as she muttered to herself, “No, Fengqi won’t do this to me.”
Li Mei looked at Laidi’s expression and felt as if her heart had fallen into an icehouse. Her hand that was pointing at Laidi kept trembling. “Have you done that shameless thing with him? Didn’t you always say that your cousin taught you that women need to have self-respect and self-love? You have to cherish yourself so that others won’t look down on you. If you stick to him like this, what will others think of you? You don’t have a status, but you ran to someone else’s house to wash, brush, and give them food and clothes. Where’s your self-respect?”
Laidi looked at Li Mei and was stunned for a moment before she understood. “Mother, I didn’t do anything out of line with him. I just saw that his grandmother couldn’t see and he couldn’t wash his clothes clean, so I went to help. ”
Li Mei looked into Laidi’s eyes and knew that she was not lying. She was relieved and said earnestly, “Laidi! Think about it. Those children in the village have taken a fancy to you and even know to report to their elders to invite a matchmaker to propose marriage. If he is sincere to you, he should do the same and propose marriage. He is pretending to be confused because he doesn’t take you seriously at all and has never thought of giving you the dignity you deserve. Think about it. You will be 18 next year. You don’t even like the children in the village and the two boys that Shopkeeper Chu mentioned. Are you planning to be matched by the Imperial Court next year?”
Laidi knew that Li Mei was right, but her heart had already been lost in the longing for beautiful feelings. She struggled and said, “Mom, I don’t know either. Don’t force me.”
Li Mei saw the hesitation in Laidi’s eyes and gritted her teeth. “Alright, I won’t force you. From today onwards, you’re to stay at home and are not allowed to go anywhere else. I’ll give him ten days. If he has you in his heart, he’ll definitely be worried about you and will invite a matchmaker to the house to propose marriage. If he doesn’t come within ten days, you’ll have to listen to my arrangements and get engaged obediently.”
Laidi looked at Li Mei and knew that this was her biggest concession. She thought to herself that her mother had given him a grace period of ten days. If he did not come to propose within ten days, it would seem that it was really her wishful thinking. In ten days, she would listen to her mother’s arrangements and live like her sister for the rest of her life.
Laidi held hope in her heart and made up her mind. She looked at Li Mei firmly and said, “Mother, I promise you that I won’t go anywhere for the next few days. If he doesn’t come to propose within ten days, I’ll listen to your arrangements and never see him again.”
Li Mei’s hanging heart finally relaxed a little. She pulled up Laidi, who was kneeling on the ground, and said, “Laidi! You have to remember that it’s not easy for us women to live in this world. Once we lose our good reputation, we won’t be respected wherever we go. Scholars are more judgmental and cold than ordinary men. Even if you pester him and marry him, you won’t get his respect and the love you want. Think about Chen Baozhen’s outcome.”
Lai Di recalled how silly Chen Baozhen had become. When she thought of how Chen Baozhen was despised by the villagers for what she had done. She shuddered and became even more determined to abide by the verbal agreement she had made with Li Mei.
Li Mei touched Laidi’s swollen cheek and said with heartache, “Go! Go wash up and apply some medication. Don’t let anyone see the marks.”
“Got it.” Lai Di nodded and stood up to walk toward the bathroom.
Li Mei looked at Laidi as she left and leaned back in her chair in exhaustion. She said to herself, “Are all children debts?” Then, she recalled Li Yu’s letter asking about her mother. She frowned and tried her best to recall the first time she saw her sister-in-law.
That morning, her younger brother carried an unconscious and drenched woman up the mountain. When he said that he was looking for food in the forest below, he saw a woman fall from the mountain path above into the mountain stream below and jump down to save her.
At that time, everyone was fleeing and wore tattered clothes. However, her sister-in-law was still wearing a high-quality dress. The material felt like the kind that Yu’er would send back.
When his sister-in-law woke up in a daze, she called out, ‘Why are you treating me like this?” In the future, she never mentioned how she fell into the mountain stream, nor did she think of looking for her family. She just often looked into the distance in a daze.
When she first settled down in West Mountain, she did not even know how to use the stove. She really did not live like someone who had grown up in the village. She was literate and spoke unhurriedly. Her needlework was done slowly. It was obvious that she had been taught by an embroiderer. Li Mei thought of everything she could think of and called Brother Pig, who was sitting under the eaves of the corridor, into the hall.
Brother Pig glanced at Li Mei, whose eyes were red and swollen. He sat beside her and rubbed her face with his fat hand. “Mom, don’t be angry with Second Sister. I’ll study hard and not embarrass you and Dad.”
Li Mei looked at Brother Pig in relief. She touched the top of his head and said gently, “My Brother Pig has grown up and knows how to dote on your parents.
Go get a pen and paper. I need to dictate something for you to write down.
After that, I want you to give it to Uncle Zhou to pass to your cousin.”
Brother Pig looked at Li Mei with sparkling eyes and nodded hard. “Yes!” Li Mei replayed to Brother Pig what she had thought of and asked Brother Pig to write
It clown ancl reacl It to ner. Atter connrnung tnat tnere was no mistake, sne asked him to send it to the Zhou family..
