“Are you willing to trade your fortune with children for marriage?”
At some point, a man had appeared beside her. She could not make out his appearance, and the people around them seemed entirely oblivious to his presence, as though he had materialized out of thin air.
Flushed with excitement, Liu Jincui kowtowed in all sincerity.
“Immortal, I am willing! Never mind that useless luck—even if you demanded my entire family fortune, I would still agree!”
The man chuckled softly.
“I can give you a seed. If you encounter a man you fancy, simply find an opportunity to place it upon his person. He will fall devotedly in love with you, adoring you so deeply that he cannot extricate himself. However, this matter does have its drawback. Without your fortune with children, you will never be able to bear offspring in this life. Knowing this, are you still willing?”
“Willing! I am completely willing!” Liu Jincui replied in haste.
“Very well. The contract is struck. Your fortune with children belongs to me.”
As the ethereal voice faded, Liu Jincui came to her senses. There was no one beside her; only the seed resting in the palm of her hand served as proof that this was not a dream.
...
A major scandal had broken out in Yangguang Town. To everyone’s utter shock, Lin Xueqian, a man renowned for treasuring his wife as his very life, had experienced a change of heart. For another woman, he had abandoned his parents, wife, children, and even his own future, going so far as to divorce his beautiful wife just to marry this newcomer.
What was more, he had shamelessly and openly moved into that woman’s residence. How was that any different from marrying in as a matrilocal son-in-law? And now, the two of them were even preparing to hold a formal wedding ceremony.
In their wedding hall, several tables were packed with neighborhood folks, all of whom had come solely for the lavish feast provided by the bride’s side.
Not a single relative of the groom showed up. Lin Xueqian’s parents and brothers had severed all ties with him over his disgraceful descent.
His divorced wife had not left the Lin household; instead, she remained in their original quarters with their three children.
The elderly couple had held out hope that their son might come to his senses, but all they received was the news of his impending remarriage. Sighing deeply, the two old folks gave up all hope and forbade Lin Xueqian from ever crossing their threshold again.
In order to stage a decent wedding ceremony, Liu Jincui had shelled out a substantial amount of silver to prepare several tables of fine food, complete with fish and meat.
Solely for the sake of these hearty dishes, the guests flattered the couple with auspicious blessings, though cynical remarks still slipped out from time to time.
“Have you heard? That man abandoned his wife and children just to be with this Liu Jincui. Tell me, if Liu Jincui had married earlier, she would be old enough to be a grandmother in a few years! How could this man ever fancy her? That Liu Jincui struck dumb luck to land a man like him. Just look at them—it is utterly shameless! In front of so many people, the two of them are flirting right out in the open.”
“A woman still needs to care about her reputation. Just look at Liu Jincui—her name is completely dragged through the mud in our town now. I’ve heard folks say she knows evil techniques, or else why would this man be obedient to her every whim?”
“Pfft, you think the Lin family didn't look into it? They brought in monks and Daoist priests alike, and none of them found anything amiss. Sigh, it used to be a fine flower stuck in cow dung, but now I honestly can't tell who's the flower and who's the dung.”
“Tsk, tsk, it’s truly baffling. Lin Xiucai is a scholar, after all. Because of this mess, his teacher won't even let him through the front door, and the other students at the academy completely ignore him. What on earth is he after?”
“Sigh, who knows? Maybe in his eyes, Liu Jincui looks as fair as a heavenly maiden! Hahaha...”
The chatter went on without pause until Lin Xueqian emerged to offer toasts. Only then did the crowd fall silent and turn their gazes toward him.
He wore a vibrant red groom's robe, which accentuated his commanding, dignified presence. With his broad shoulders and narrow waist, he did not look frail in the slightest. Just how could someone like him have fallen for Liu Jincui?
While everyone harbored disdain in their hearts, they maintained warm, enthusiastic expressions on the surface, drinking the wine he offered and showering him with auspicious remarks.
Lin Xueqian had alienated all his friends and family just to marry Liu Jincui, yet he felt no regret whatsoever. He merely believed he had met his beloved wife too late. At this moment, his heart and mind were completely consumed by his newlywed bride.
...
After Gu Qingyun and Bai Fan finished their morning meal, she had Bai Fan return to the county yamen first. On a whim, she decided to drop by a property agency. The agency was located on Yongan Street, and with her swift footwork, it did not take her long to arrive.
Just as she stepped through the doors, a figure approached her.
“Esteemed guest, are you looking for a residence?”
She looked up to see a middle-aged man with a goatee, dressed in a grey cloth robe, hurrying forward to greet her.
A warm, enthusiastic smile played across his face, and his eyes shone brightly. Hanging from his waist was a wooden plaque inscribed with 【Anjia Property Agency】. He was indeed a broker handling house rentals and property transactions.
Gu Qingyun nodded.
“I’d like to look at some residences. It needs to accommodate fifteen or sixteen people. Do you have anything suitable here?”
Hearing this, the broker beamed from ear to ear.
“Aiyo, you’ve arrived at the perfect time! Have you heard of the He family who run a winery in our county?”
Gu Qingyun gave a slight nod without speaking. The broker continued:
“After what happened, that family can no longer make a living here and is preparing to sell their property and leave. Their compound is a small three-entry courtyard with sixteen rooms in total, perfectly matching your needs. What’s more, it’s an urgent sale with a very modest asking price. The residence has been well-maintained; you could move right in with just a few changes of clothes. However, the sellers require that whoever buys the house must take the furniture inside with it—they won’t sell it separately.”
“Even the grounds are paved throughout with grey bricks, unlike other compounds that turn into a muddy mess whenever it rains. This property certainly won't! It isn't far from the central quarter either, with convenient access in all directions, making grocery shopping and running errands effortless.”
“If the house is that good, why hasn't it sold yet?”
The broker lowered his voice:
“You must know about that incident involving the Bai family and the He family. Although the He family wasn't responsible, that Zhang Xiaoxiao was a relative of theirs, so they’re tied to it no matter how you slice it. The Bai daughter was fished out of the water after being dead for a whole year, and they say she still looked just like a living person! Tell me, in a situation like that, who would dare buy their house?”
“What's more, because it’s an urgent sale, the price has been slashed quite low—this much.”
The broker discreetly held up his fingers to signal a number. Gu Qingyun probed, “One hundred taels?”
The smile froze on the broker’s face.
“Esteemed guest, you must be joking. Two hundred taels! All the furniture inside—the chairs, the wardrobes, and everything—are included. The rooms are all spacious, so living there will definitely be comfortable.”
“If you’re interested, we can go straight to the county yamen to draw up the documents, transfer the property deed, and the house will be yours. How about it—shall I take you over to have a look at the compound? If you aren't satisfied, I can show you other properties, though none will be this large or priced this favorably.”
Gu Qingyun considered it for a moment, then shook her head in refusal.
“There’s no need to inspect the residence just yet. I must discuss this with my family first. After all, this isn't like buying vegetables; the whole family needs to agree.” Besides, she was no good at bargaining. If she brought her grandmother over, they might be able to secure it for an even lower price.
Seeing that there was still a chance, the broker spoke up again:
“Esteemed guest, since you fancy this residence, I’ll hold it for you for two days so you can discuss it with your family. If you like it, it’s even negotiable for me to knock a few taels of silver off the price.”
The broker was genuinely terrified of letting this prospect slip away. Every time prospective buyers heard it belonged to the He family, they avoided it like the plague. Now that someone had finally shown interest, he had to close the deal no matter what. Once this compound was sold, he would surely have something to brag about.
Gu Qingyun patted her money pouch, feeling that her family would really have to tighten their belts from now on.
Rate on N.U.
