Chapter 660 - 342: Snobbish Servants (2)

Chapter 660: Chapter 342: Snobbish Servants (2)

Liu Yunlan was overjoyed to hear this. She thought for a moment and said earnestly to Shi Tou’s mother, "My parents and younger brother are all honest people, and they’re a bit easily swayed. That’s why I want to find a wife for my brother who has a stronger personality, someone who can take charge of the household. If your niece really has a temperament like yours, Third Auntie, that would be for the best. I’m just afraid she’ll think my Yungen isn’t very promising and look down on him."

Shi Tou’s mother smiled. "Now that you’ve said that, I have a good idea of what to do. I’ll go back and ask my cousin’s wife and see if she’s willing to arrange a meeting. If you ask me, this is a good match. Your family is small—just your younger brother, which is much less complicated than a huge household. And we don’t even need to talk about your family’s savings. After all these years, and with you and Qingmu helping out, you’re better off than most. Even if your brother is on the honest side, that’s fine. A wife who can run the house from the moment she marries in will have to put up with less grief. Marrying a capable man is great, of course, but marrying an honest boy makes for a worry-free life. Some people specifically look to marry into honest families, afraid that the in-laws will be too overbearing and make life difficult for the wife."

Liu Yunlan quickly replied, "My family isn’t overbearing at all. My parents and brother are just indecisive. That’s exactly why we need to find him a feisty, decisive wife, to keep them from being taken advantage of. The other day, someone tried to talk them into starting some business at the market. Thankfully, my brother came to ask me and Qingmu first, so we stopped him. Otherwise, they would have lost everything. Third Auntie, you tell me, with him being like this, how can I rest easy without finding him a decisive sister-in-law? If you’re going to help make this match, please explain my family’s situation in detail to your cousin and his wife. You must make it clear to your niece, too. Please don’t try to boast about my family. I’d hate for there to be a misunderstanding that leads to resentment after they’re married."

Shi Tou’s mother laughed. "Don’t worry, would I do something so foolish? I think it’s best we wait until after they’ve met. If the two young ones hit it off and are both happy, and if your brother is willing to listen to his wife in the future, then their lives will surely be good. My niece is a capable girl, too. She might not be quite on your level, but she’s not far off."

This conversation left Liu Yunlan both happy and worried. She was happy that if such a wonderful girl could really be matched with her brother, she wouldn’t have to worry so much about her family anymore. But she was worried that such a wonderful girl might look down on her Yungen, and her heart fluttered with anxiety.

Juhua and Yun Ying, who were busy nearby, saw the two arrange a potential marriage in just a few words. They couldn’t help but exchange a smile and begin chatting quietly themselves.

Yun Ying told Juhua that Li Changyu’s wife was very gentle, a true lady from a prominent family. She had come to the countryside and liked it here, but she had no one to talk to. She spent her days doing embroidery and tending to flowers, so she was terribly bored. Yun Ying had invited her to come visit them by the mountain, saying the women there were all very nice.

"You don’t mind, do you? She seems like a nice person, and I’m sure you two would get along, so I invited her over," Yun Ying explained.

Juhua laughed. "Why would I mind? I’m just afraid she won’t be used to it here. We’re just coarse country folk, not so refined or polite. We’re used to being casual, not like them with their very particular ways of speaking and acting."

Hearing this, Yun Ying looked her up and down, pursed her lips in disagreement, and simply ignored the comment.

While they were discussing Li Changyu’s wife, Mrs. Gao herself was feeling uneasy. She had been feeling sluggish for the past couple of days, so Li Changyu had asked Yun Ying to check her pulse. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yun Ying, she found that this doctor was completely different from the other villagers. She was delighted and insisted Yun Ying stay for lunch, and even after the meal, she was reluctant to let her leave.

Yun Ying understood what was on her mind. She suggested that once Mrs. Gao felt better, she should take a walk over to the mountain area. She also mentioned that she was staying with the Zheng Family, and that their daughters and daughters-in-law were all good people, so a visit could help relieve her boredom.

Although Mrs. Gao nodded in agreement, she didn’t really take it to heart. ’How could a new bride like me just go around visiting people’s homes? Besides, I really can’t find anything to talk about with these country folk. My parents-in-law and grandfather-in-law are good people, and as a cultured and sensible lady, I am of course very respectful toward them. But deep down, I still feel ill at ease with everything and find it impossible to get used to living here.’

But Li Changyu wasn’t going to be leaving anytime soon.

Li Gengtian had become a great landowner. He had hired a steward and foremen to manage the fields and household affairs, added a new courtyard to the house, and built a new garden and pond. Even so, things were still a bit chaotic, and Li Gengtian was so busy he was practically spinning in circles. So, Li Changyu had left his business in the city to be managed by his subordinates and returned to help his father get things in order.

He spent his days rushing between the various Zhuangzi, and when he came home, it was often just for a moment before he had to leave again. But he always paid close attention to his wife and naturally understood how she was feeling.

One day, he finally finished arranging the work in the fields, instructing the foremen to plant the seedlings, sow the crops, and plant the trees according to his plans. He had finally freed up some time to spend exclusively with Mrs. Gao.

"Second Master, what is this...?" Mrs. Gao asked hesitantly, looking at the simple cotton shirt and trousers before her.

Li Changyu said with a grin, "Wan’er, my mother made these for you. Your clothes are lovely for wearing in the city, but they’re not quite suitable for the countryside. They’re not very practical. So I asked Mother to make you two sets. They’ll be good for when I take you out for a walk tomorrow."

Mrs. Gao said with a hint of reproach, "Second Master, how could you ask Mother-in-law to make clothes for me? Even if you felt my clothes were unsuitable, you could have just told me. I would have had Nanny Wang make them. You should never have troubled Mother-in-law to do it herself."

Li Changyu was about to speak when he caught sight of Nanny Wang looking at the cotton clothes on the table with an expression of disdain. He was suddenly furious. ’This old crone thinks these clothes are shabby and plain, doesn’t she? It makes sense. Ever since we returned home, all the servants attending Mrs. Gao have had this same look of disgust, finding this inconvenient and that not to their liking. They don’t dare complain openly, but they mutter about it in front of Wan’er, and she has to scold them. Of course, a country landlord’s home like mine wouldn’t meet the standards of these rich family servants. Besides, my family wasn’t even considered a landlord before!’

Li Changyu said coldly, "How could I do that? Even if it means my own mother has to do it, I couldn’t possibly trouble Nanny Wang’s precious hands. Those hands are for working with silk and satin. How could they possibly handle coarse cotton and linen? Wouldn’t that be an injustice to them?"

Seeing Li Changyu’s face suddenly turn cold, Mrs. Gao quickly stood up and pulled at his arm. "Second Master, why would you say such a thing? Nanny Wang, what did you do to make the Second Master unhappy?"

Nanny Wang said aggrievedly, "Miss, I didn’t say a single word just now!"

Li Changyu sneered, "Of course you didn’t have to say anything, because you couldn’t even be bothered to speak. You think wearing these clothes would be a disgrace to your Miss, don’t you?"

To be continued.