Farm Tough Girl

Chapter 31: Chapter 032 The Consummation Matter_1 Chapter 31: Chapter 032 The Consummation Matter_1 Li Qinghe’s eyes dimmed, but she still said, “I know, but Qiao Yuanzhen is not that kind of person, he…”

“In his eyes, he has only fame and fortune, anything else doesn’t fit. Qinghe, don’t expect him to protect you in the future. He will only make you endure in silence for the sake of his own reputation,” Muniang said bluntly.

“But I just like Qiao Yuanzhen. My brother wants me to marry Zhao Dashan, saying his family is well-off and he has a good temperament, but I don’t like him. Nothing else matters,” Li Qinghe said, her voice growing intense, and her eyes reddening: “What does my brother, a man, know about it? He only knows what’s best for me, but never considers if I want it or not. Ever since I was a child, I’ve liked Qiao Yuanzhen. There has never been a man in Tupo Village who can compare to him. Even though his family relations are bad and I would suffer if I married into his family, I still want to marry him!”

Muniang sighed. This girl’s will was so firm, there was nothing she, an outsider, could change.

“Have you ever thought about whether the Qiao family would be willing to marry you?”

These words stunned Li Qinghe, who stared blankly at Muniang. She was the prettiest girl in the village, skilled in all household chores, cooking, and embroidery; many young men in the village liked her, but would the Qiao family be willing to marry her?

Muniang said seriously, “The Qiao family is counting on him to rise to great heights. A man who aspires to be an official in the imperial court, would he marry a village girl? Qinghe, some things are not so simple. Qiao Yuanzhen’s ambitions are as high as the sky, and his wife will surely be someone who can bring him benefits.”

Qinghe’s face turned pale as she stared blankly at Muniang, the bowl in her hand slipping into the basin. Muniang said earnestly, “Qinghe, he’s not worthy of you.”

To have such feelings strangled like this, Muniang did not think it was cruel. The real cruelty was reality telling you the price of naivety. Muniang didn’t know if Qinghe had taken her words to heart, but this was as much as she could do. The Li siblings had helped her so much, she naturally was grateful and would reciprocate, but the extent of human stubbornness should not be underestimated. If Qinghe insisted on being the moth that flies into the flame, then no one could stop her.

After sending off Li Cheng and Qinghe, it was not early anymore. People in ancient rural areas generally went to bed early, and Muniang had also developed the habit of going to bed early. Just as she was about to wash up and sleep, Mrs. Lin abruptly pulled her into her room.

Muniang looked puzzled, “Mother, what’s the matter that you have to talk so sneakily?”

Mrs. Lin closed the door and said seriously, “Muniang, tell your mother the truth, have you not consummated the marriage with Erliang yet?”

Muniang was taken aback for a moment, then said, “Mother, why are you asking this?”

“Just answer whether you have or haven’t?”

“Mother, he’s just a simpleton. He doesn’t understand those …” Muniang said, feeling somewhat ashamed. Even though she came from the 21st century, she was too busy with research to have ever had a boyfriend.

Mrs. Lin glared at her: “This matter can’t be delayed. What kind of married couple doesn’t consummate their marriage? Everyone says you’re married now; you are bound together for life. Mother feels sorry for you, but there’s no one else who could marry you. Right now, just after getting married, others won’t say much, but if time passes and there’s no sign of pregnancy, then the village gossip will start.”

“We live our own life, why bother about what others say?”

“You’re young and naturally don’t understand the harm words can do. Your mother has been through it, those strange looks, I don’t want you to suffer them too. Even if you don’t think for yourself, don’t you think about Erliang? If you never have children, the people in the village will look down on him.”

Mrs. Lin’s words were sensible. If things continued like this, it certainly wasn’t a solution. Moreover, in an era where gossip could drown a person, if Muniang stubbornly ignored the consequences, both Erliang and Mrs. Lin would be unable to hold their heads high. Thinking of this, Muniang suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

Mrs. Lin patted her hand, “Erliang is only mentally impaired, his other aspects should be normal. As long as you take the initiative, it could work.”

Muniang shuddered. What did she mean by taking the initiative!

Mrs. Lin continued, “I’m your mother, and I’m not blind. You have feelings for Erliang too, and he is sincere towards you. There’s nothing wrong with that. You two should round up the marriage room sooner rather than later. It will also put this weight off my mind.”

“…”

“Right, do you not know how? Should I teach you?”

Muniang almost sprayed out a mouthful of water and hurriedly waved her hand, “I know, I know, no need to teach!”

Mrs. Lin looked at her skeptically, but Muniang jumped up and darted out the door.

Mrs. Lin watched her flustered figure with a mix of annoyance and amusement, thinking to herself, this child!

When Muniang returned to her room, Erliang was already sitting on the bed, clad in clean underclothes, behaving like a docile child. Remembering Mrs. Lin’s advice to take the initiative, Muniang glanced at Erliang’s innocent eyes and felt a surge of guilt. It felt like she was being indecent with a child?!

“Wife, why did you come back just now?” There was a hint of grievance in Erliang’s tone.

Muniang coughed uncomfortably and sat on the bed, “Husband, if, I mean if!”

“What?”

“Well, do you want to have a baby?”

“Didn’t my wife say that a couple would have a baby after one year of marriage? We’re not even at one month yet, can we have one?” Erliang asked with utmost seriousness, clearly taking everything Muniang had said as gospel.

A twitch formed at the corner of Muniang’s mouth, “Enough nonsense! Do you want one or not!”

“Yes, yes!” The wife is going to lose temper again, no wonder they say women are as fathomless as the ocean!

“Then that’s settled, strip!”

“What?”

Muniang glared coldly, and Erliang hurriedly stripped off his underclothes, revealing his robust body which was quite a sight. Muniang swallowed hard, wondering if she should just pounce and get it over with.

“Wife?” Erliang asked tentatively, moving closer to Muniang, who had been staring blankly at his body. It snapped her out of her daze, she jerked her head up to face him, and her cheeks quickly heated up.

She would absolutely not admit that she’d chickened out!

“Put on your clothes and sleep!” Muniang pushed him away and burrowed into the bedcovers.

“What about the baby?” Erliang asked weakly.

“Did I say anything?!” Muniang’s voice sounded as ominous as a ghost’s. Erliang realized he could never keep up with his wife’s train of thought, so he blew out the candle and went to bed feeling wronged.

The next day, Li Cheng brought the buyer to Muniang’s house. It was a restaurant’s shopkeeper, who had come personally to examine the goods because tiger meat was particularly rare—after all, not every hunter had the skill to take down a tiger, so it was coveted. The shopkeeper examined the goods, his eyes shining, and he kept praising the quality.

Muniang smiled and said, “The tiger we hunted weighed a total of two hundred seventy pounds, and it was all processed yesterday. Please check the goods, and if it’s satisfactory, give us a price, so we can negotiate.”