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The next day, at dawn, the door of the Wen Family was knocked open by an impatient figure. "Mom, hurry up! I have something to tell you!"
The Wen Family had just woken up and was puzzled by their son's sudden urgency. They thought something serious had happened and quickly got out of bed, not even bothering to wash up, rushing out in slippers. "What’s going on?"
Yang Yichen hadn't slept all night but was surprisingly not tired at all; he was in a state of excitement. "Mom, Mom, we need to prepare to propose to Qingxi!"
"What? Propose?" The early morning proposal left the Wen Family bewildered, her messy hair and confused expression showing her surprise.
"Yes! Hurry and get everything ready." Yang Yichen was like an anxious child—well, he really was an anxious child—impatiently urging her.
Finally, through Yang Yichen's incoherent rambling, the Wen Family understood the situation. It turned out her son was eager to move forward with this, which was a good thing.
"There are many things needed for a proposal. I will prepare them, but you know Qingxi's situation is special. Without any elders around, traditionally it’s the parents’ decision and the matchmaker’s words. As an independent young lady, it would be best to find an elder to witness this."
As she got up, the Wen Family liked Liu Qingxi and felt blessed about her son potentially being with her. She wouldn’t feel uncomfortable about another woman taking her son’s affection or oppose it in various ways.
This was also why many mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships were strained; they wanted that man to belong solely to them.
However, the Wen Family didn’t think that way. Why not have another woman love her son? The one who would accompany him for a lifetime wouldn’t be herself but rather his lifelong partner.
Coincidentally, as winter set in with its biting cold, people huddled indoors to avoid going out. This season was typically the quietest of the year, and many joyous events were often held during this time.
Before long, the news of Yang Yichen and Liu Qingxi's engagement spread throughout Ten Li Pu like wildfire, with everyone discussing their upcoming marriage.
"Yang Scholar and Miss Liu truly make a perfect pair; both are capable individuals. It's hard to find anyone comparable in Ten Li Eight Villages."
"Exactly! Miss Liu is so talented and kind-hearted; she deserves the best. I think they’re a great match."
Most people offered their blessings for the couple, wishing them a harmonious and lasting union.
However, not everything can satisfy everyone's wishes. While some were supportive, there were those who felt discontent: "Hmph, what's so great about it? She's just a lonely girl; who knows what kind of tricks she used."
"A woman like her only knows how to rely on such means to make money. Otherwise, why would she have so much business? I don't believe for a second that she earned it honestly."
A few sharp-tongued women whispered among themselves below, their voices not loud but just enough for those around to hear.
"What kind of Young Lady is this, flaunting herself in public?"
The tone of these remarks was dripping with envy, questioning how someone else's daughter could be so capable while their own children seemed to be wasting their potential. This jealousy was evident in their demeanor.
One woman with slanted eyes disdainfully remarked, "She only got the emperor's favor; what's so impressive about that? Does she really think she's something special?" Reflecting on how the glory should have belonged to her, this woman was none other than Tian, the wife of Zhang Erdan.
When her daughter Zhang Hua'er finally married Liu Qingshu, Tian had hoped that through the connections with the Liu Family and Liu Qingxi, they would gain some benefits. Even a small favor would have been enough for their family to enjoy a better life.
But what happened? No one expected the relationships between the families to be as cold as ice. After Zhang Hua'er married Liu Qingshu while heavily pregnant, instead of gaining any advantages, they didn't even get to see Liu Qingxi.
This left Tian feeling frustrated and resentful towards Liu Qingxi. If he had shown them some kindness, they wouldn't have lost both their daughter and their standing without gaining anything in return. This was not Tian's character.
The conflict between Tian and Wang had escalated without any resolution until Tian shamelessly used Zhang Hua'er's unborn child as leverage.
That was a child, one who was almost ready to be born after several months; how could anyone be so cruel?
That child was the firstborn grandson of the Liu Family. Not only did Yan and the Qin Family value him, but even Wang couldn't bear to let go. In the end, they had no choice but to scrape together all their resources to prepare a betrothal gift for Zhang Hua'er.
Fearing that Zhang Hua'er's pregnancy would become too obvious, both families hastily arranged for a marriage. Strictly speaking, they were now in-laws; however, the relationship between the two families did not improve because of Zhang Hua'er's presence.
At this moment, in the Liu Family, Wang was listening to Liu Qingxi's engagement with Yang Yichen, her expression shifting from green to pale: "Why? Why should Liu Qingxi be able to marry a Juren?"
Even if Yang Yichen was wealthy, if given the choice between a Juren and a businessman, it was an unquestionable choice for the Juren. In this era, scholars held high status while merchants were considered the lowest profession. Thinking back to Liu Qingzhi, she had exerted tremendous effort just to enter the Wan Mansion, only to gain little benefit before the person disappeared.
At this moment, recalling her long-lost daughter, Wang was stirred by Liu Qingxi; if Liu Qingzhi hadn’t married, wouldn’t such a good thing have been hers?
However, without such assumptions, Wang felt utterly exhausted and deeply jealous, especially of Liu Qingxi's face that resembled that of the Yun Clan, which made her want to tear it off every time she saw it.
"No, I can't let Liu Qingxi have it so easy." Wang gritted her teeth as her mind wandered. Suddenly, she looked up and saw the heavily pregnant Zhang Hua'er entering; her round belly looked like a ball and made Wang even angrier.
"Why aren't you resting at home while pregnant? What are you doing out here? So your parents can come and accuse us of mistreating you again?"
Wang felt irritated just thinking about it. Ever since Zhang Hua'er came into the house, there had been constant conflicts. Whenever there was a disagreement, she would tell those two rascals, leading to harassment at their door, especially from Tian, who spread rumors about Wang mistreating her grandchild.
In short, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had deteriorated to such an extent that they only exchanged greetings when they met but secretly looked down on each other.
However, this time both women had to face a formidable opponent: Liu Qingxi.
Wang simply did not want to see Liu Qingxi happy and content; she intended to deliberately sabotage that happiness.
As for Zhang Hua'er? Who didn’t know that Yang Yichen was recognized as a handsome man in the village? Which girl wouldn’t blush at the sight of him? She was no exception. However, after some events unfolded, she had already become a wife.
Her dream man was getting engaged; she felt like sending him a warning.
"Mother, I know why you're unhappy because I'm not happy either. Why should Liu Qingxi get this?" Zhang Hua'er suddenly whispered in Wang's ear: "How about we spread some rumors?"
The two scheming women united for the first time to deal with Liu Qingxi together.
Liu Qingxi had no idea about any of this; she only felt the cold air and guessed that Liu Qingyan would be back soon. From now on, she would basically need to go to the school twice a week.
As for the engagement matter, without any elders around, it was fine; she could completely make her own decisions without needing anyone's consent. What she didn't know was that in the future, someone would bring up the issue of status.
Two days later, a rumor suddenly spread through Ten Li Pu that Liu Qingxi was secretly meeting a man at midnight.
What? Secretly meeting a man? This was a serious accusation that could lead to severe consequences.
"Oh my, I never realized Liu Qingxi was such a person."
"Isn't that right? People have seen it with their own eyes. She may not be very tall, but this girl is only fourteen and already so promiscuous. What will become of her in the future?" A few gossip-loving women enjoyed discussing such matters, especially when it involved such explosive news.
Suddenly, a woman barged in, hands on her hips, and shouted, "You all shut up! Can you have some decency? Did you see it with your own eyes, or did you catch her in the act? How dare you ruin that girl's reputation!"
This fierce woman glared at the gossiping women by the riverbank who were washing clothes, wishing she could push each of them into the river to drown.
This woman was none other than Widow Tian. With winter being relatively idle, she took advantage of the time to search for food in the mountains. Today, she hadn’t found much but returned to hear these absurd rumors.
Usually quiet and reserved due to the absence of men, this was the first time she spoke so assertively.
However, one of the gossiping women rolled her eyes dismissively. "Oh Widow Tian, what benefits did that shameless little wretch give you for you to defend her like this? Oh right! You're working under her; she's your bread and butter. No matter what she does, you think it's right."
"And we’re not just spreading rumors. If it weren't for us, there wouldn't be any chaos. Someone saw it with their own eyes; they noted the time and place. Do you really think you can deny it? Is it because we have ordinary status that you feel free to bully us?"
"If you have the guts to do something, then don’t be afraid of others."
"You," Widow Tian said, trembling with anger, her words stuck in her throat, unsure of what to say. "Just wait."
She planned to call the Construction Team to let them recognize their unity. With the odds stacked against them, it wasn't the right time for a direct confrontation.
At the same time, in the Yang Family Courtyard.
The Wen Family received the news immediately, and she trembled with suppressed rage. "Anan, go find out where this rumor originated."
She trusted Liu Qingxi completely, knowing she wasn't that kind of person. Thus, these rumors were nothing but baseless slander. However, some neutral parties began to waver and started betting on Liu Qingxi's ultimate fate.
Just as Anan left, a servant reported that a woman had come to visit and insisted on seeing the Wen Family.
Initially wanting to refuse, she finally said, "Fine, let her in!" A tall and slender woman walked in, her collarbones slightly protruding, and her sharp voice nearly pierced everyone's eardrums.
"Oh Madam Wen, I finally get to see you! It's not easy to meet you. I'm here to tell you something," the woman said somewhat awkwardly.
But thinking of her purpose, she quickly gathered her courage and spoke firmly: "I heard..."
It turned out to be just rumors circulating in the Village. The Wen Family shook their heads dismissively. "I trust Qingxi's character; this is definitely someone slandering her. Yes, that's what it is—slander."
Unexpectedly, the informant became anxious and stood up urgently. "Madam Wen, you can't overlook these issues! That girl is cunning and not good at all; you shouldn't..."
At this point, the woman's mind was racing in circles until she suddenly smiled slyly. "Madam, you should forget about Liu Qingxi; I have a daughter at home who's just a teenager and perfectly suited for Yang Scholar. Not only is she well-mannered but also beautiful—far more so than Liu Qingxi. What do you think?"
Suddenly! The Wen Family realized why this woman had been persistently probing them; this was her true intention all along. No wonder!
Hehe! Looking at this woman, who could also be Liu Qingxi's second aunt, the Wen Family suddenly felt like laughing, unable to suppress their amusement.
The next day, at dawn, the door of the Wen Family was knocked on impatiently by someone: "Mother, hurry up! I have something to tell you."
The Wen Family had just woken up and didn't understand what was going on with their son, knocking on the door so early. They thought something serious had happened and immediately got out of bed, not even having time to wash up before rushing out in slippers: "What is it?"
Yang Yichen hadn't slept all night but was surprisingly not tired at all; he was in a state of excitement: "Mother, Mother, let's quickly prepare to find someone to propose to Qingxi!"
"What? Propose?" The early morning proposal left the Wen Family confused. Her slightly disheveled hair and bewildered expression showed her surprise.
"Yes, hurry up and get ready." Yang Yichen was like an anxious young fellow—well, he indeed was an anxious young fellow—extremely eager.
Finally, through Yang Yichen's incoherent explanation, the Wen Family understood the ins and outs of the situation. It turned out that this brat couldn't wait any longer, but that was a good thing.
"There are many things needed for a proposal. Mother will prepare them. But you know that Qingxi's situation is special; she has no elders. Traditionally, marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers. As an independent young lady, it's best to find an elder to witness this."
Getting up, the Wen Family liked Liu Qingxi and felt blessed for her son to be with her. They wouldn't feel uncomfortable about another woman stealing their son's affection and oppose it in various ways.
This is also the reason why most mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships are strained; they all want that man to belong solely to them.
However, the Wen Family didn't think that way. Why not have another woman love their son? The one who would accompany their son for a lifetime wasn't themselves but rather the partner he would share his life with.
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