Chapter 66: Wait Three Years
The ox cart swayed its way back to Gutong Village. As soon as they got home, Luo-shi packed some wedding candies for Wen Xiuzhu and told him to return the ox cart to the village head’s house. The others went back to their own rooms to rest. Wen Yao pulled Luo-shi into the house and stuffed the red pouch from Xiao Luo-shi into her hands.
“Grandma, this is for you,” Wen Yao said with a bright grin.
Luo-shi looked at the pouch in her hand, frowned, and immediately shoved it back. “You earned it, keep it for yourself. Why are you giving it to me? Hide it before your second aunt sees.”
Wen Yao paused and said, “But Grandma, you and Second and Third Aunt helped me in the kitchen all day. This money should be shared with you.”
Luo-shi glared at her. “Who wants your money? I didn’t help for your few coins. That was my younger sister’s big day—of course I’d help. Besides, they each brought back a bunch of food too. Just keep the money and save it for your dowry.”
After pushing the pouch back and forth, Wen Yao finally gave in to the old lady and kept the money herself.
The two of them poured out the contents of the pouch and counted the money. It turned out to be even more than the originally agreed-upon two hundred wen per day—four hundred for two days. But there were fifty extra wen in the pouch. Apparently, Xiao Luo-shi had been especially pleased with the dishes Wen Yao prepared and added a little bonus.
Wen Yao refused to keep the bonus fifty and insisted Luo-shi take it. Thinking it wasn’t much, Luo-shi finally accepted it, while the remaining four hundred wen went to Wen Yao.
“By the way,” Luo-shi said, “your Auntie said quite a few families were asking about you—people with weddings coming up, wanting to hire you as their head chef. I didn’t let her agree to anything. Thought I’d ask you first.”
After this wedding, Luo-shi no longer doubted Wen Yao’s capabilities. In fact, she was quite proud. It was a real skill and a means to make a living.
Wen Yao was happily counting her coins when she looked up and said, “Of course agree! Why not? As long as the price is right, I’ll take both weddings and funerals.”
Cooking was her specialty, after all.
This time, Luo-shi didn’t object. She nodded. “Alright then, I’ll tell your Auntie. If anyone else asks, we’ll have them come to our house directly.”
“Got it! Thanks, Grandma!” Wen Yao wrapped her arms around the old lady’s arm and laid on the charm.
From initially feeling awkward about her granddaughter’s behavior, Luo-shi had gradually gotten used to Wen Yao’s antics. Though she still scolded her with a frown, the uncontrollable smile at the corners of her mouth betrayed how much she enjoyed the attention.
After settling the matter of the money, Luo-shi gave Wen Yao a light push. “Go get your father. I have something to talk to him about.”
“Okay!” Wen Yao cheerfully tucked away her money and went off to find Wen Xiuyi.
He was half-dozing in a chair when Wen Yao called him, but the moment he heard it was his mother who wanted him, he jolted awake and dragged his tired self into the house.
“Mom, you called?” Wen Xiuyi sat himself down on a stool without needing to be told.
Luo-shi frowned at Wen Yao, who had followed them in and didn’t leave, but she didn’t chase her out. She climbed up onto the kang with her legs crossed and said, “What are you planning for Xiaojun’s marriage?”
“Huh? What marriage?” Wen Xiuyi was stunned. Why was this about Wen Jun’s marriage all of a sudden? Had he already been engaged? How come he didn’t know?
Wen Yao nearly burst out laughing but stopped herself when Luo-shi gave her a glare. She zipped her lips with a finger and stayed quiet.
Luo-shi looked at her clueless eldest son, so dumb it made her want to smack him. Her voice rose: “Xiaojun is already sixteen! And you, as his father, haven’t even started planning? If you weren’t such a mess in the past, a boy his age would’ve been engaged long ago!”
Wen Xiuyi’s sleepiness vanished instantly. He straightened up and replied awkwardly, “But, Mom, why bring this up now? He’s still young.”
Sixteen? That’s like a high schooler! Getting married? What a joke.
Wen Yao silently kicked him under the table and gave him a look: “Hello? What time period do you think this is?” In this era, getting married at sixteen or seventeen was completely normal. Even he—well, the original him—married Liu-shi at nineteen. Otherwise how would he be just over thirty now with a sixteen-year-old son?
This time Luo-shi couldn’t hold back. She grabbed the shoe sole beside her and threw it at him.
Wen Xiuyi dodged swiftly and finally snapped out of it. He sheepishly picked up the shoe and handed it back. “Mom, Xiaojun just became Dr. Jin’s apprentice. Isn’t it too soon to talk about marriage? What if Dr. Jin thinks we’re using him to boost Xiaojun’s status—like we’re flaunting our connection just to get him a better match?”
Honestly, that point hit Luo-shi’s biggest concern. Her frown deepened. The more she thought about it, the more sense it made.
What if Dr. Jin felt that they were leveraging their relationship with him and got offended? What if he stopped teaching Xiaojun?
But then again, Xiaojun was already sixteen. If they didn’t start looking now, what if they missed the right time?
“But… Xiaojun is sixteen,” Luo-shi muttered, still torn.
Wen Xiuyi scooted closer and began massaging her legs. “Mom, marriage is about fate. Our Xiaojun is learning medicine now—he has a bright future. Once he’s mastered it, we’ll have no trouble finding a good daughter-in-law.”
More importantly, if he dared arrange a match now, his son would definitely rebel. He was stuck in the middle, and it was rough.
Luo-shi still looked hesitant, so Wen Xiuyi threw a look at Wen Yao, begging for help.
If she didn’t say something, her big brother was really going to get force-marched to the bridal chamber.
Wen Yao had laughed enough. She slid over next to her grandma and started massaging her shoulders. Father and daughter now had a whole massage routine going.
“Grandma, my dad makes a good point. If Dr. Jin gets angry and refuses to teach my brother, and the fiancée’s family only wants the marriage because of Dr. Jin, then what? The marriage falls through and my brother loses his chance to learn medicine. He ends up with nothing. Isn’t that worse?” Wen Yao said.
Luo-shi opened her mouth to object, looked at the pair of them, then said nothing. What they said made too much sense.
“So when would be the right time, then?” she finally asked. “We can’t wait until he’s an old bachelor and no one wants him.”
Wen Xiuyi’s eyes darted. “Three years. Let Xiaojun study with Dr. Jin for three years. Once things are stable, we won’t have to worry about Dr. Jin refusing to teach him or the bride running off.”
