Chapter 67: Someone’s Looking
In his heart, Wen Xiuyi silently lit a candle for his son.
Son, nineteen years old—that’s the longest your father could negotiate for you. What happens after that depends on your own luck and ability to convince your grandmother.
Luo-shi was completely bamboozled by Wen Yao and Wen Xiuyi’s tag-team persuasion. By the time she came to her senses, the four had already disappeared without a trace.
Old Man Wen had been in the house the whole time. Watching his wife get talked into it by their son and granddaughter, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter the moment they left.
The more Luo-shi thought about it, the more something felt off. How had they tricked her so easily? Wait three years? By then Wen Jun would be nineteen!
“You shouldn’t be mad,” Old Man Wen said kindly. “Three years isn’t that long. Look at Jiao Yang—he didn’t marry until he was over twenty. Our Xiaojun’s future is bright now that he’s apprenticed under Dr. Jin. With a future like that, there’ll be no shortage of good marriage prospects. Just stop worrying.”
What could Luo-shi do? She’d already agreed. There was no turning back.
On the way home, Wen Xiuyi told the whole story to Wen Jun as if it were a joke, leaving the poor boy completely numb.
Last life, he couldn’t escape the marriage pressure. This life, he still couldn’t escape—and it had hit him more than ten years earlier! Someone save him!!!
Dazhu didn’t really understand what engagements or marriage meant, but judging from his big brother’s reaction, it clearly wasn’t a good thing. So, he silently resolved: he wouldn’t marry when he grew up.
The little guy quietly reached over and held Wen Jun’s hand, silently offering his support.
Wen Jun glanced down and saw the kid looking at him with eyes full of sympathy. He closed his eyes and slapped his palm against his forehead.
What even was this situation?
From that day forward, Wen Jun started avoiding the old house like the plague, afraid of running into Luo-shi.
But even if he could hide, Luo-shi couldn’t. The Jiao family wedding hadn’t even been over for half a month when two matchmakers came knocking on her door, asking whether there were any plans for Wen Jun’s marriage, each recommending a list of good girls.
There were a few girls Luo-shi actually liked, but she remembered what Wen Xiuyi and Wen Yao had said and could only grit her teeth and send the matchmakers away. Her reason was simple: Wen Jun’s top priority right now was to establish himself. For the next three years, he wouldn’t be considering marriage and would focus on studying medicine under Dr. Jin.
Although her eldest grandson’s marriage was on hold, she still had a second grandson who was already fifteen. So she turned around and asked the matchmakers to keep an eye out for a match for her second grandson instead.
The matchmakers, eager to earn their matchmaking fees from the Wen family, promised to keep a lookout and report back with good candidates.
Apart from the matchmakers, several families that Xiao Luo-shi brought over also came to ask if Wen Yao could serve as the head chef for their family banquets.
Wen Yao didn’t lower her price. Anyone who wanted to hire her would pay the same rate as the Jiao family—two hundred wen per day.
Anyone brought over by Xiao Luo-shi had already been vetted, and the arrangements were always reasonable. The rate was settled quickly, and the scheduling didn’t conflict.
Wen Yao even prepared a little notebook to record her appointments. With the year’s end approaching, many families were planning weddings.
Of course, very few families were like the Jiao family, generous enough to pay for two days. When that was the case, Wen Yao always explained clearly ahead of time what needed to be prepped and what ingredients had to be ready. That way, when she arrived the next day, she wouldn’t be scrambling due to missing ingredients—her service was thorough and thoughtful.
Many people came to admire Wen Yao. Although she was young, she truly had skills and was easy to deal with. Slowly, word spread from one family to the next, and Wen Yao gained a bit of a reputation in the surrounding villages.
She herself enjoyed this little business—manageable, profitable, and not exhausting. Five households could earn her one or two taels of silver.
Since Luo-shi learned the truth about Dazhu’s condition, she no longer talked about taking him to see doctors. Still, whenever she saw him laughing and playing happily with Wen Ying, she’d sigh.
If he was already so cheerful, why wouldn’t he talk?
That day, Luo-shi and Wen Yao were prepping the marinated dishes for the next day’s food stall. Wen Ying and Dazhu were playing in the courtyard, while Wen Di sat under the porch sewing clothes for herself and her sisters.
“Miss Wen Yao, Miss Wen Yao, are you home?” a voice suddenly called from outside.
Wen Yao flicked the water off her hands. She recognized the voice—it was A’Wang. She quickly ran over and opened the gate.
“A’Wang? What brings you here?” Wen Yao was surprised. Did something happen to her brother?
A’Wang jumped down from the carriage. Seeing that Luo-shi was also there, he greeted her with a bow before turning to Wen Yao. “Miss Wen Yao, Young Master Wen Jun sent me to bring you to the clinic.”
Wen Yao immediately started untying her apron and sleeves, brows furrowing. “What’s wrong with my brother? Did something happen?”
Luo-shi also hurried over and grew anxious when she heard that. “What happened? What’s wrong with Xiaojun?”
Seeing their expressions, A’Wang quickly waved his hands. “No, no, don’t worry, Old Madam. Young Master Wen Jun is fine. I don’t know exactly what’s going on either. Someone came to the clinic saying they wanted to thank him, and he told me to bring Miss Wen Yao over. They’re waiting at the clinic.”
Wen Yao was puzzled. Thank him? For what?
She handed the apron and sleeves to Luo-shi and reassured her. “Grandma, don’t worry. A’Wang said everything’s fine. I’ll go take a look.”
Dazhu happened to run over just then and got pulled aside by Luo-shi. She nodded. “Leave him to me. You go see what’s going on.”
Dazhu wanted to follow but was held back. Luo-shi coaxed him, “Don’t make trouble.”
Dazhu stood still, lips trembling in grievance.
Wen Yao patted his head and told him to listen to Grandma. Then she climbed into the carriage with A’Wang and left.
Luo-shi watched them go and comforted Dazhu. “Be good. Your sister will be back by evening.”
Dazhu kept turning to look back until Wen Ying closed the door behind them, cutting off his view of the departing cart.
Wen Yao rode into town with the cart, asking A’Wang what exactly had happened along the way.
A’Wang had only been called to the clinic later, so he didn’t know the full story either. But apparently, several people had come, and they didn’t seem hostile. When they saw Wen Jun, they were all polite and respectful.
That reassured Wen Yao a bit. When the cart finally stopped in front of the clinic, she jumped down and ran inside.
There weren’t many patients at the moment. Inside were Dr. Jin, Manager Qiu, Wen Jun, and even Wen Xiuyi. Besides them, there was a well-dressed middle-aged man with two attendants, currently talking to Dr. Jin and Manager Qiu. Everyone’s expression was pleasant. It clearly wasn’t anything bad, so Wen Yao relaxed completely.
“Big Brother, you called for me?”
