Qin Xiong sized up Du Heng from head to toe.
Du Heng wore his late brother’s old clothes. Though their faces were entirely different, both carried a quiet elegance. Qin Xiong was momentarily stunned.
His gaze lingered on Du Heng’s face, then finally dropped to his legs.
“Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re a cripple.”
Xiaoman rushed to pull Du Heng back. “I told you not to come out! Why didn’t you listen?”
He tried to shield Du Heng, but Qin Xiong grabbed his wrist.
“Uncle, let’s talk this out calmly. Violence won’t solve anything,” Du Heng said politely.
Qin Xiong, still furious, saw the man’s refined demeanor and stopped. He threw the shoe to the ground, clapped his hands, and plopped into a chair. “Well, you’re clever. No wonder you managed to hide Xiaoman at home all this time.”
“I just arrived today,” Du Heng admitted honestly.
Qin Xiong’s brow furrowed. “Today?”
Xiaoman quickly chimed in, “I wasn’t deliberately keeping it from you, second uncle. It’s a serious matter. We were just about to come after dinner—didn’t get the chance to say anything yet.”
Qin Xiong’s expression softened slightly. He looked at Zhao Qi, who timidly admitted, “I saw someone at Xiaoman’s house and thought something was wrong. I was worried he might be deceived, so I told second uncle.”
Xiaoman snapped, “This has nothing to do with you now. Go home before your mother finds out you were here, or she’ll scold me for days.”
Qin Xiong, realizing that family matters weren’t for outsiders, said, “Yes, Zhao Qi, you should go home first.”
Hearing this, Zhao Qi, who had intended to help drive Du Heng away, realized Qin Xiong was already inclined to support Xiaoman in finding a live-in husband. Reluctantly, he left, giving Du Heng a resentful glare.
“Then, second uncle, Xiaoman and I will go ahead,” Zhao Qi called as he departed.
Qin Xiong turned to Xiaoman. “Answer my questions honestly. Don’t interrupt.”
Xiaoman opened his mouth but saw Du Heng give him a reassuring glance. “Got it,” he said.
Qin Xiong fixed Du Heng with a hard stare. “Are you a beggar or refugee in our village?”
Du Heng’s brow twitched. He glanced at Xiaoman, who signaled him to answer, so he said, “Yes.”
“Where are you from?”
“Qiuyang County.”
“What did your parents do?”
“Before passing, they were in business. They had a small enterprise, but misfortune struck, and we lost everything, leaving me like this.”
“Ever committed a crime?”
“Never. I once aspired to serve in government, how could I dare break the law?”
Qin Xiong, a capable man who’d seen many people over the years, studied Du Heng closely. Though he had suffered and fallen from grace, his refined, delicate features seemed genuine. He didn’t appear to be lying.
After carefully questioning him, more thoroughly than one might interrogate a criminal, Qin Xiong finally spoke:
“Even though Xiaoman wants a live-in husband, looks aren’t the priority. What matters most is character, and then that he’s physically capable.” He didn’t mind Du Heng’s family background but pointed out, “With your leg like that, how would you manage day-to-day life?”
Du Heng knew his current physical state made him extremely uncompetitive. In this era, unlike today, survival was hard—people often starved, even if not entirely destitute.
If he were kicked out today, with no money and crippled legs, Du Heng would have only two options: freeze to death or starve.
Faced with those two choices, anyone not intent on dying would naturally pick the first.
Du Heng tried to argue his case. “My legs might still be treatable. Even if they can’t be fixed, I can’t do heavy work, but I can manage basic chores. I can read and write—I could copy texts, write letters.”
Qin Xiong’s brow twitched. At first, he thought these were just polite words—but the last part struck him: “You can read and write?”
Du Heng nodded. “When my family was better off, I went to a private school and even tried the civil service exam, though I didn’t pass. But I can read and write.”
Qin Xiong fell silent. Literacy was rare in the village. His older brother had studied a bit, and Qin Xiong had some respect for educated people.
Besides, literacy could be useful. Through his contacts, he could even find Du Heng bookkeeping work in town to support a household.
Finding a live-in husband was no easy matter—it was often mocked. Ordinary men wouldn’t want the role unless the family was well-off and the bride was agreeable. Otherwise, coming into another family meant bowing one’s head for life. No one did it lightly.
Xiaoman himself wasn’t much trouble. People often whispered that he was headstrong, but Qin Xiong liked him—Xiaoman’s temperament followed him, the uncle, more than his late father. Compared to his other nephew, who hid under his mother’s thumb and lived comfortably, Xiaoman seemed far more capable.
Yet with Xiaoman’s parents gone, there was no one to back him. As long as the man’s family received an acceptable bride price, it would be easier to find a live-in husband, because he wouldn’t be under the thumb of elders.
Qin Xiong’s only worry was that the man might take control of the household, knowing Xiaoman had no parents to challenge him. That made the situation delicate.
Looking at Du Heng, he seemed gentle, yet someone Xiaoman could handle. Being crippled, he was likely more steady and less scheming than an ordinary man. He also had some responsibility, knowing to protect Xiaoman—unlike the cowardly Zhao Qi.
Ultimately, the key was whether Xiaoman was satisfied.
Qin Xiong called Xiaoman aside. “You really want to keep him? He’s crippled. The neighbors will laugh.”
“The neighbors have laughed at me enough already,” Xiaoman said. “I don’t care about one more. I think he’s fine. He even tried the civil service exam—pretty impressive!”
“You don’t know. When your father was alive, he was just a student candidate!” Qin Xiong paused, then warned, “Don’t regret this. Once you choose, don’t throw a tantrum later and chase him away. It’ll be even harder to find someone else.”
“I wouldn’t do that! You don’t throw away wild vegetables from the field, and you don’t throw away someone who’s eaten your own food.”
Qin Xiong sighed. After a long pause, he said, “Since it’s come to this, I’ll pick a good day to make it official. We’ll invite the villagers for a small feast, and then it’ll be done.”
Xiaoman shook his head. “Why waste that money? It’s unnecessary.”
“Some things still need to be done properly. A feast, even a small one, gives it legitimacy.”
Xiaoman, as always, was blunt. “Then just a table for our closest family. No need to invite neighbors.”
“Don’t worry. Your second uncle cares about you. Since this is a marriage, there will still be a dowry.”
“I know, I know. Second uncle doesn’t have much money anyway. It’s all up to aunt. We’ll handle our own affairs ourselves,” Xiaoman said.
Seeing Qin Xiong about to say more, Xiaoman added, “That’s enough. You should go back now.”
Qin Xiong, caught off guard, coughed dryly, unwilling to argue further. He thought it best to give the two some space—they had only just met.
“Things don’t need to be done immediately, but they’ll need to be settled eventually.”
Qin Xiong turned to Du Heng. “Everything you said today better be the truth. I have relatives in the county office—checking your background would be easy. If you lie, I’ll break your other leg too!”
Du Heng nodded. He had told the truth about his past; a man with a straight heart need not fear scrutiny.
“I’ll head back now. Xiaoman, come by tomorrow for some meat—we just slaughtered a pig.”
“Okay,” Xiaoman said, seeing him out.
At the door, Qin Xiong turned back and whispered, “Set up a separate room for him. Don’t let you two sleep together yet. I’ll check with your grandfather’s cousins about his background. If he tries to sweet-talk you, hit him! You can handle a crippled man.”
Xiaoman furrowed his brow. He didn’t even want to sleep in the same room!
He figured that if Du Heng refused, he’d just have to knock him out and drag him to bed—there’s always a way around a problem.
Qin Xiong wanted to give more instructions, but Xiaoman pushed him out. The uncle sighed, realizing that lecturing wouldn’t change his stubbornness.
Xiaoman’s father had died when he was so young, leaving him to rely on his older brother, who rarely spoke. He’d never been properly taught manners or etiquette, so his bold, straightforward ways often drew gossip from outsiders.
Well, it didn’t matter—keeping him around for a while or for a lifetime was the same. Sooner or later, Xiaoman would have to settle down, and now that the choice was made, it would all work out the same.
From then on, he could just check in occasionally. As long as the boy had no bad intentions, it would be fine.
“Come eat—your food’s getting cold.”
After seeing Qin Xiong off, Xiaoman turned back. “Finally, some peace.”
Du Heng, used to chaotic households from his work, remained calm. He ladled some radish soup over the cold rice, warming it up.
“Radish soup on rice doesn’t taste great,” Xiaoman said. “Tomorrow I’ll go to second uncle’s for some meat, make a stew—then the soup will be perfect on rice.”
Du Heng nodded. His body was already hungry, so a bowl of warm rice was enough to satisfy him for now.
As Xiaoman ate, he watched the refined-looking Du Heng and thought back to how the boy had protected him earlier. His chest warmed with satisfaction. “Second uncle’s so fierce—you weren’t afraid of him, yet you still came out to protect me?”
Du Heng lifted his eyes. “I just act on impulse. Why be afraid? Should I watch a little boy get beaten?”
Xiaoman, originally proud, immediately bristled. “You only helped me because I’m a kid?”
Du Heng, watching his wide-eyed glare and the way he was about to throw his chopsticks, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is that a problem?”
Of course it was. Du Heng wasn’t protecting him to be a future husband, so Xiaoman didn’t answer. Instead, he asked:
“Our house only has three rooms to sleep in. One was my father’s—no one can stay there. One is mine. The other leaks a bit. Do you want the room with me, or the leaky one?”
“I don’t mind,” Du Heng said immediately. “The leaky one is fine.”
Xiaoman puckered his lips. How could a man be like this? “Fine, finish your meal, then I’ll get the room ready.”
“I’ll help!” Du Heng said quickly, shoveling rice into his mouth.
Xiaoman lowered his gaze, suppressing a smile. “You sure are eager about this.”