"Some time ago, someone came to propose marriage, and I agreed. Today, I'll get married!"
Qian Momo had been spoiled by her parents since childhood. They had cleaned up after her countless times, she had lost count.
Previously, her parents always said she was still young and didn't understand, so he endured it. But now, at twenty-eight, she had caused someone to come to their home in the middle of the night to beat him up!
Eating more than a pig each time and having a terrible temper, she completely disregarded him as her brother and didn't even consider her sister-in-law and nephew.
No, he couldn't keep her here anymore.
If he did, he feared he wouldn't just get beaten up like last time. That person had warned him to 'control' Qian Momo, or else he would suffer the consequences.
If he hadn't begged for mercy last night, he might have lost a leg.
With their parents around, he really couldn't control Qian Momo. He could only marry her off, so she wouldn't cause trouble at home anymore, bringing peace to their lives.
"What? Why? What happened? Aren't you the one who always dotes on your sister the most? How could you bear to hastily marry her off like this?"
His daughter was also flesh and blood, how could she bear to marry her off to a widower and live a widow's life?
"What happened? Can't you see my injuries? This is all caused by your beloved daughter!"
"A widower is just a widower. Back then, when he was a fine young man, she refused to marry him. Whose fault is it now? Blame me? Isn't it all her doing?"
Although Qian Momo had a bad reputation and wasn't a good person, the Qian family's conditions were not bad.
A few years ago, when times were tough, even poor families earnestly sought to marry her.
But she looked down on them for being poor and thought too highly of herself, no matter what he said, she wouldn't listen. What could he do?
Now, besides settling for a widower, what else could he do?
This was already considered good, at least he hadn't heartlessly married her off to those older men who liked to beat their wives and gamble.
He had done enough.
"What do you mean!?"
Since the moment Qian Momo heard her brother wanted to marry her off to that widower, she was stunned, and now hearing his words, she was furious.
"You can't pretend anymore, can you? I'm your own sister, and you want to treat me like this?
Our parents raised me, I haven't eaten or drank anything of yours, why do you have the right to treat me like this?
You actually want me to marry a widower? You might as well just let me die!"
Seeing that Qian Momo couldn't endure any longer, Gu, her sister-in-law, who had been watching with her son by the side, spoke up.
"It's only because you're our own sister that we haven't given up on you! Our parents raised you? Our parents are already old now!
These years, if it weren't for us, this family wouldn't have been able to hold on!
You didn't rely on us, but you caused trouble everywhere in the village for these years. How many times did my husband and I have to clean up after you?
Yesterday, you caused trouble again. Can you compare to that petite and pretty girl?
"You look down on me because I'm from a humble family, so you go to the village and bully someone else's legitimate wife?"
"You've really outdone yourself! You've brought shame upon us all! You've not only embarrassed yourself, but also your brother and me!"
Unfortunately, Gu's sister-in-law's family is from Gu Family Village. Yesterday, her own younger sister caused a scene there, and she feels like she's lost all face and can't even return home.
"Ma Feng Auntie is my real aunt! You've really gone too far! How can I face my family in the future?"
"You're a real disaster! Marrying into your family and encountering a sister-in-law like you, I must have been cursed for eight lifetimes!" Gu's face flushed with anger as she blurted out these words.
Upon hearing this, Qian Momo seized the opportunity, pointing at Gu and looking at Qian's mother.
"Mother, listen to her, listen to what this woman thinks of me! She dares to call me a disaster!?"
Qian's mother frowned upon hearing Gu's words, but seeing her son and daughter-in-law's reactions, she realized that the problem indeed lay with Qian Momo.
She raised her daughter, so would she not know her heart? But she was still her flesh and blood after all.
She exchanged a glance with Qian's father, and the couple fell silent together.
Looking at Qian's father, Qian's mother, and Qian Momo, and then at her husband, Gu clenched her fists, thinking of what her mother had told her yesterday, and said firmly, "I don't care how you decide, but from today on, either she stays or I stay! One of us will leave this house!"
With that, she grabbed her son and ran back into the house.
Qian Dalang was shocked to hear his wife's words and, looking at Qian Momo, who still looked angry and resentful, he sighed heavily. "My intentions are the same as Auntie Hua's. If you still want to keep her, then let's separate our households."
He was truly exhausted.
Upon hearing her son's words, the old couple trembled in their hearts. They watched their son's back for a long time and, after much consideration, finally made up their minds.
"Momo, listen to your brother and get married."
"Mother!" Qian Momo couldn't believe it!
She couldn't believe that her parents would actually make her marry that pockmarked widower.
But no matter how unbelievable it was, it was useless.
The old couple acted quickly. They sent a message to the widower's family that day, and the next day, the widower's family came to take her away.
Qian Momo hadn't even healed from the wounds she received in the fight.
In front of Gu, the old couple didn't dare to pack too many things for Qian Momo.
Apart from the clothes she usually wore, they didn't take anything valuable like dressing tables or wardrobes for her.
The dead snake that had scared Qian Momo awake was still in the room, but only its fresh skin was left, floating in the corner. Gu Jinchen hadn't been able to take advantage of the snake meat.
Qian's family affairs were unknown to Luo Ge in Gu Family Village.
When he woke up, he was surprised to see two snake meats in the house.
“I woke up early today and caught these from the mountain. I've already cleaned them to spare you any discomfort.”
“Oh, the mountain?” Still a bit groggy, Luo Ge's reaction was a beat slow. She turned to get a clear look at what he held and paused.
“You went to pick sour plums?” Two large baskets – did he pick all the remaining plums?
“Yes, I got up early with nothing to do, so I went to pick them. I'm almost done peeling; I'll marinate them shortly. You go ahead and have your porridge.” He remembered her words; once the porridge boiled, he reduced the heat and let it simmer, ensuring it didn't burn.
This was a significant improvement. His wife must taste it.
“!!!” Wow, her man was really capable! In the time she took a nap, he caught a snake, picked plums, peeled them, watered the vegetable garden, and cooked.
She was amazed!
“Husband, you're so capable.” Watching him work diligently, she sincerely praised.
Gu Jinchen paused at her words, raised an eyebrow with a hint of a smile. “Is that so? I'm glad you think so.”
“!!!” Hearing his words, Luo Ge quickly ran into the kitchen.
Did he just say something flirtatious? But she had no evidence.
Wasn't this man supposed to be reserved and taciturn? Why was he becoming more playful and teasing?
Watching Luo Ge's figure, Gu Jinchen momentarily froze, chuckled softly, and followed into the kitchen, holding the peeled fruit.
Seeing his blushing little wife, his smile deepened.
His wife was easily embarrassed.
Turning to open the salt container, he paused, looking a bit puzzled. “This salt seems finer than usual.”
Luo Ge's heart skipped a beat. “Really? I didn't notice.”
As far as she knew, there were plenty of salt mines domestically, and the imperial court also produced sea salt. With the conditions they had, their salt should be of good quality.
The coarse and fine salts were available for domestic use, unlike in other countries where only coarse salt was common.
In the past, when Gu Jinchen raised children, he bought fine salt, which, compared to the salt in her space, had only a subtle color difference.
But without comparison, it was hard to tell.
Now that the old salt was used up, this man could still observe such subtle details. His observational skills were indeed keen.
Gu Jinchen did have sharp observational skills; he even caught the fleeting nervous glance from his little wife.
His earlier question was just casual.
Was she nervous? Why? What was she hiding from him?
“I remember the shopkeeper saying this batch of salt is new. Could it be because of the difference between old and new salt?”
Seeing her silent, Gu Jinchen responded along with her words, maintaining a calm expression as he continued marinating the fruit.
Upon seeing Luo Ge, only then did a sigh of relief escape.
