Chapter 182: When Will You Propose?

Gu Zhong took a few deep breaths, his voice dropping. "Sanlang’s family isn’t poor? He told me yesterday that his family is fifty taels of silver in debt!"

"When have you ever seen Third Sister-in-law trying to take advantage of people like you always do?"

"I make sure you have food to eat and clothes to wear. What others have is their business, so what’s there for you to be jealous about?"

"Even the Emperor gets to eat meat every day. You can dream about it, but do you have that kind of fortune?"

"You should go take a piss and use the reflection to see what a wretched state you’re in."

Cradling Bao’er, Xing’er huddled in her chair, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

Gu Zhong shot a glance their way, and both of them quickly lowered their heads.

Gu Zhong let out a long sigh. "I’ll be the one to earn the money we need to live. There are plenty of rich people here in Ping’an City, so it should be easy to make some silver. It won’t take more than a year or two to pay off what we owe."

"You stay home and stop getting caught up in pointless ideas. Just take good care of Bao’er. And Xing’er’s getting older now. You should start asking around the neighborhood to see if there are any suitable families for her."

When Ms. Qian heard this, she forgot to keep crying. "Marry Xing’er off around here? Does that mean we’re not going back home in the future?"

"But we still have our house and land back home!"

Gu Zhong fell silent for a moment. "It’s hard to say right now. Even if we do go back, it won’t be for several years. Xing’er is turning sixteen after the New Year. A few more years of delay, and she’ll be an old maid."

Hearing this, Xing’er grew tense and clutched tightly at Bao’er’s clothes.

Bao’er squirmed away. "What are you grabbing me for!"

Gu Zhong glanced at Xing’er and fell silent.

’He shouldn’t have discussed such matters in front of his own daughter. It was a slip of the tongue.’

After dinner, Xing’er walked past Shanzi’s house. She gave a soft cough and then quickened her pace.

Shanzi was still eating when he saw Xing’er’s silhouette flash past the door. His heart leaped into his throat. He scarfed down the rest of his food in a couple of bites, threw his bowl down, and announced, "Ma, I’m going to Second Uncle Gu’s place to see Sanlang."

Shanzimama was sitting with her back to the door, so she didn’t see Xing’er pass by. She was actually quite happy to see Shanzi getting close with Gu Fei’s family. "All right, go on then. When you see Second Uncle Gu, don’t forget to thank him. Sanlang brought over a smoked duck for us today."

Shanzi called out in agreement and ran off.

Shanzi dashed out the main gate, running along the courtyard wall.

As he rounded the corner, he spotted Xing’er’s figure in the distance.

He broke into a sprint and ran up to Xing’er, grabbing her hand with a joyful expression. "Xing’er, did you miss me?"

Xing’er snatched her hand back, her face clouded with unhappiness. "My father told my mother today that she should start looking for a husband for me in the area."

Shanzi grew frantic. "What? No! You’re supposed to marry me."

Xing’er pursed her lips. "Didn’t you say you were going to ask your mother to go to my family and propose marriage?"

Shanzi grabbed her hand again. "I... I haven’t dared to tell my mother."

"My mother was grumbling the other day... She said I’m still too young, that I’ll only be seventeen after the New Year. She wants to spend the next couple of years paying off our family’s debt, and then talk about marriage after this drought is over and we’ve gone back home."

The color drained from Xing’er’s face. "I’ll be sixteen after the New Year! How can I possibly wait two years? Maybe you don’t want to marry me at all, is that it?"

Shanzi was so flustered he could barely speak. "I... If I didn’t want to marry you, I... I’d be a dog!"

Xing’er stamped her foot. "Then you need to hurry up and talk to your mother! Once my mother starts considering other families, it’ll be too late!"

Shanzi clenched his jaw. "Fine, I’ll tell her. I’ll tell my mother as soon as I get home."

He looked at Xing’er with pleading eyes. "Xing’er, let’s go to the grove—"

Xing’er wrenched her hand away. "Is that all you ever think about? Taking advantage of me—"

Shanzi pulled her into an embrace, his breathing heavy in her ear. "Please? We haven’t gone in days. I... I miss you so much I can’t stand it."