Chapter 2
Madam Lu immediately shifted her attention, mumbling to herself.
Lu Yang didn’t need to listen closely to know that she was distressed about recent expenses. She blamed Old Man Chen for not speaking up sooner—if he had, they could’ve made a grand display and secured three marriage alliances in one go. Now that would’ve been truly cost-effective. But she didn’t consider that such a wealthy family wouldn’t accept a meager bride price.
Father and son rode a mule cart loaded with fresh tofu, setting off for the market at dawn. Each of them held a fist-sized wild vegetable cornbread bun, chewing it with difficulty.
As Lu Yang bit into the coarse bun, he struggled to swallow.
He figured that a hunter’s family wouldn’t lack meat. With meat, they could trade for grain, so they wouldn’t have to eat this stomach-aching stuff like the Chen family.
But then he thought of the Li family’s mother and son, and his stomach churned even more than the cornbread did.
If only he could call off the engagement.
—
At the first light of dawn, Lu Liu opened his eyes.
He fumbled under the blanket, finding the clothes he had tucked in for warmth the night before. After making sure they were right-side out, he swiftly threw off the covers and dressed in one go.
By November, the temperature had dropped significantly.
Now, in mid-November, days of continuous rain had made it even colder.
This year, Lu Liu had a new cotton-padded jacket, made from deep maroon fabric. The color was a bit dull and aged, but since his face was youthful, he didn’t look dreary in it. In their gray and dusty home, he stood out.
Just as he lifted the curtain and stepped out, his father, Wang Fengnian, caught sight of him and immediately praised, “Fits perfectly! Looks so handsome.”
Lu Liu felt a little embarrassed. Hearing the commotion of chickens clucking in the courtyard, he asked, “Are you catching the chickens, Dad?”
Wang Fengnian had been up early. He had already prepared breakfast. He told Lu Liu to fetch some hot water to wash his face, then placed steaming meat buns and egg drop porridge on the table. Wiping his hands, he said, “Yeah, I’ll sell them at the market later. With the money, I’ll buy you a few more items for your dowry.”
Lu Liu’s face stiffened, but he said nothing. He took a cup of warm water and squatted by the door to brush his teeth. His toothbrush was handmade by Lu Erbao, using pig bristles.
As he brushed, his gaze drifted toward the chicken coop.
He saw that Lu Erbao had already caught four plump chickens and placed them in a basket beside him. Now, he was reaching deep into the coop, blocking the entrance to prevent the chickens from escaping.
The chickens huddled deeper inside, making it difficult for him to grab them—he had to squeeze half his shoulder into the coop.
Seeing this, Lu Liu hurried to rinse his mouth and went over to help.
Lu Erbao stopped him. “You’ll get pecked.”
“You’re getting married soon—you can’t afford any injuries.”
Lu Liu muttered gloomily, “It’s just catching a chicken…”
That set Lu Erbao off.
“Listen to me. This marriage didn’t come easy. Look at the suitors you had before—widowers, loafers, men with kids from previous marriages, lazy good-for-nothings who drink and fight. Marrying them would’ve meant a lifetime of suffering and beatings.
“But now, a scholar has proposed to you! He’s still young, and he only has his widowed mother at home. I checked—he has a good temper, and his mother is kind. They’re not poor either. With the rent from their land, they can live comfortably.
“Just listen to your fathers. Take care of yourself these next few days, eat well, and after you get married, have a child as soon as possible. That way, you’ll have something to rely on in the future…”
Lu Liu had heard these words a thousand times. His fathers repeated them endlessly, drilling them into his ears.
But he didn’t believe his marriage was as fortunate as they claimed.
A few days ago, he had secretly gone to Shangxi Village to find his cousin, Lu Lin.
Lu Lin had married into Shangxi Village last year and was from the same village as the scholar. But when Lu Liu arrived, his cousin wasn’t home. Instead, he stumbled upon a shocking scene at the scholar’s house.
A whole group of people had barged in, shouting and cursing, demanding money. They threatened to ransack the house if they weren’t paid.
It was clear they were relatives, and it seemed like a common occurrence.
Lu Liu watched from a distance, frozen in fear. He waited for a long time but never saw the scholar or his mother come out to deal with the situation.
Unable to bear it any longer, he asked a passing villager, “Does this happen often?”
The villager sneered, walked up to the scholar’s house, spat on the ground, and left—his actions were all the answer Lu Liu needed.
Lu Liu was terrified.
He went home and immediately declared that he didn’t want to get married. He explained everything he had seen, retelling it three times, word for word.
But after his fathers sat in silence for a long while, Lu Liu understood their decision.
Their family was small—just the three of them.
They lived in a tiny, rundown house, farming six acres of poor, scattered land. It was barely enough to survive.
Lu Erbao had a skill—he was good at castrating pigs. He spent his spare time traveling between villages to earn a little money. Because he was honest and charged reasonable prices, he had built a solid reputation. Over the years, he managed to bring in a little over one tael of silver annually.
Lu Liu, on the other hand, raised chickens with Wang Fengnian. They worked hard, feeding the chickens worms and vegetables to keep them healthy and laying eggs.
By all accounts, their lives should’ve been better. After all, there were only three of them to feed.
But they were still poor. Still bullied.
Because his fathers were aging, and he had no brothers to help, their chickens were often stolen.
Even when they went to the market to sell their chickens and eggs, people deliberately undercut their prices.
Even at home, if they cooked a good meal, their nosy neighbors would show up with bowls in hand, waiting to take a share.
When Lu Liu was younger, he used to fight back. But after being beaten and ostracized, he eventually learned—his family was different.
Even though the Lu surname was prominent in Lujiatun, even though they had many relatives there.
Lu Erbao insisted on this marriage. He told Lu Liu, “I have no skills. I can’t find a better match. If you end up marrying a drunkard or a thug, your life will be ruined.
“But this scholar has a degree! If he passes the next exam, he’ll be a county scholar. No matter how good-tempered he is, he’ll still be a respected official. You’ll have a good life.”
That last sentence—Lu Erbao said it with so much conviction, as if by sheer force of will, he could make it come true.
Lu Liu had no words.
But deep down, he still hoped—somehow, some way—that the engagement would be called off.
Even if their family struggled, at least they weren’t constantly harassed and robbed by greedy relatives.
He had been crying a lot these days.
Yet, his fathers only said, “Just get pregnant quickly, and everything will be fine.”
Now, they were heading to the market. Lu Liu would pick out his own dowry items.
As they left, Wang Fengnian reminded him again, “Remember to buy red dates, longan, and some brown sugar. Don’t be stingy—sell all the chickens. We’ll buy new chicks in the spring and raise them again.”
Lu Liu simply nodded, slung an empty basket on his back, and followed his father down the road to the market.
He thought to himself—would he still be raising chickens at the Xie family?
Would the chickens even survive?
Would those greedy relatives snatch them away the moment they were brought home?
If he couldn’t even raise chickens, then what was the point of him going there?
Was he just a human hen, meant to do nothing but lay eggs?
What kind of life was that?
If only he could call off the engagement.
