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The cold wind blew on his face, but he didn’t even notice it. Ger Yu’s dark eyes widened. The ground in front of him was covered with a layer of dark ash, and the dirt under his feet was mixed with dead branches and gravel. He squatted down, picked up a stone with his frozen fingers, and the black mud quickly hid his nails.
His eyes were red. The cold wind with a moist stickiness made him feel the heat in his eyes even more. These days, their family lived a very peaceful life. His mother and father were good. The eldest brother and sister-in-law didn’t quarrel anymore. The family was harmonious and beautiful. He thought it would be good to continue living this kind of life.
When he grew up, he would marry like Ger Yan did. Maybe marry a simple man from the village or a scholar like his brother-in-law, or…Could he not marry? Did Shuang’ers have to marry? Ger Yu heard Ger Yan say he knew a Shuang’er named Ger Qiu from the county town who was very strong and could carry things on the dock to make money like his cousin. He managed the store very seriously. He was able to support himself and his grandmother…
He was going to be sold to another family to be a child bride, just for 40 taels of silver. If he was forced to be helpless like his Ger Yan was in the beginning,he would have no other choice. But this money would go straight to his grandmother and third uncle. Ger Yan really was unwilling. Although he was young, he knew good from bad. Grandma disliked a Shuang’er like him, and the third uncle and his cousins looked down on their family.
Ger Yu didn’t believe that Ji Xuan could test to be a Zhuangyuan and become an official. He only knew a few words. He heard his brother-in-law say that there were more literate people outside than there was hair on the little donkey. Ger Yu could also write. Cousin Ji Xuan wasn’t anything great. His brother-in-law was able to test to be a Xiucai, but his cousin couldn’t.
He also overheard his oldest brother say that the reason he and Ji Xuan went to study was to laze around and skirt farm duties. The two didn’t pay attention to their homework at all.
He didn’t want to be a child bride. Ger Yu clenched his fists, as if he’d made up his mind.
The seeds sown grew into seedlings. The green spots emerged in the blocky fields that had been empty for a long time. In a few days, they would plant seedlings for the spring. Lin Lixuan stood on his own mountain and shifted to face the wind. He looked at the green seedlings in his new land, as if he was king of the mountain. He was the leader of the military parade, and the green trees and dead branches were the little minions on his mountain.
After a few days of hard work by the villagers, the barren mountain had cleared up half of the vacant land. Dead branches of wood were piled up at the foot of the mountain. Their family wasn’t short of firewood this year—They would use the rest of the wood for the chicken coop. Taking advantage of the idle labor force in the village, while cutting trees, Lin Lixuan asked someone to help build a few wooden houses, which were built from freshly cut wood. The craftsmanship of the villagers was average, and the wooden houses that were built didn’t look too good. The only advantage was that they were wide and large, enough to raise livestock
Lin Lixuan planned to raise chickens in the orchard!!!
—Although there was no fruit yet, there was still mantou and steamed buns.
Through Zhang Huoda’s connections, Lin Lixuan found Uncle Xu, who could manage orchards. Uncle Xu was very curious about the method of raising chickens in the orchard. He was shocked that he, a scholar, would dare buy fruit trees to plant in the mountain. He was not afraid of losing everything. Uncle Xu promised to come help look after the trees for a year. He made an agreement with Lin Lixuan. He could plant the trees however he wanted, and if the fruit trees didn’t grow well after a year, he would not return the next year.
Uncle Xu took the wooden stick and followed Lin Lixuan to take a look at the mountain. “This piece is okay. It can be planted…that one won’t do. The soil quality is too poor and transplanted trees won’t survive…”
Lin Lixuan nodded and wrote down where he couldn’t plant fruit trees. In those places, he could still grow peanuts, and make reasonable use of resources! Peanuts’ root system was special. It could fertilize the land. It was said that places where peanuts have been planted didn’t need to be fertilized since they were already very fertile. Peanut seeds were sent by the people under Boss Su when they did business last time. The areas on the mountain that couldn’t be used to plant fruit trees, they would plant soybeans, peanuts, and sweet potatoes.
“I have a few fruit trees at home that have been growing for two or three years that can be transplanted here.”
“Thank you, Uncle Xu. I will buy them according to the market price.”
“No need. I’ll give them to you.”
Lin Lixuan was in a good mood as he came down from the mountain. He hummed a little song as he went home. The gray mountain fog floated over his head. The depressing and gloomy weather couldn’t cover his good mood.
Before he stepped inside his courtyard door, he saw Ger Yu at the door. He smiled. If it wasn’t for those good eyes, he wouldn’t have noticed this little lump squatting there, like a cloth cage. “Ger Yu, what are you doing here?”
“I-I…I came to find my big brother.” Ger Yu’s lips were stiff from the cold.
“Your brother went to the county town with my mother.” Lin Lixuan had a smile on his lips. Now that life for the family was better, Zhao Liniang planned on raising more livestock. They went to buy cows, ducks, and other things. After what happened during buying the donkey, Zhao Liniang didn’t like her son to go and lose money.
Cows could be bought and sold, but they couldn’t be killed wantonly. Killing healthy cattle was against the law, therefore, the government controlled cattle. After buying the cattle, they had to go to the government to record it. Zhao Liniang and Ger Yan might return late tonight.
“Oh…” Ger Yu half-lowered his head, as if he wanted to fall into the dust.
Lin Lixuan looked at his expression carefully and saw there was something wrong. The smile on his face fell. “What’s wrong?” Ger Yu used to come to his house to play from time to time, except for the first time, he had never been this…coy?
“Brother-in-law…” Ger Yu softly called out. His hands clenched into fists.
“I don’t want to be a child bride for a fool,” he mumbled. But the courage in his heart rose and he continued, “Grandmother already sold me to the Jiang family. The slave contract is already prepared. I…I don’t want to be a child bride. Brother-in-law, can you lend me 40 taels of silver?”
“I’ll work hard to pay it back. Although I’m a Shuang’er, I can do needlework or help out with the pigs…I-I can also read and write, and help raise chickens…” He spoke out all his thoughts, but Lin Lixuan probably understood his meaning.
A wave of anger rose in his heart. Was the Ji family addicted to selling Shuang’ers? They sold the older brother to a fool, and now the younger brother was following his footsteps. Lin Lixuan was furious and felt so sorry for the old Ger Yan. He was also helpless and forced to marry in the beginning…
“Be good. Don’t be scared. When your brother returns, we’ll discuss this together. We will never let you become someone’s child bride.” Lin Lixuan helped him wipe his tears and led him into the house.
“Come in first. Don’t cry and tell me everything in detail.”
“Mn.” Ger Yu rubbed the corners of his eyes.
Zhao Liniang and Ger Yan came back with a half-human tall cow, as well as a basket of ducklings and three small milk dogs. Zhao Liniang led the cow into the firewood shed. Ger Yan fed the little milk dogs water and watched them drink, then called out, “Lin-dage, come see what we bought. We bought the cow back.”
Lin Lixuan led Ger Yu out. Ger Yan was surprised. “Ger Yu, what are you doing here? It’s so late, why haven’t you gone home yet?”
“Brother,” Ger Yu threw himself into his brother’s arms.
“What’s wrong?”
“When mother finishes her matter, let’s talk about it together.”
Zhao Liniang slapped the table. “That’s too much. Ger Yu is so young. How could they be willing to sell him as a child bride?”
Although Zhao Liniang was angry, she was more panicked. Others might not remember, but she still remembered the nephew of the neighboring county town’s County Magistrate who caused her son to be a fool for three years. Now that their Lin family was living well, why must they return again!!!
“Our parents agreed?”
“…Our parents…Mother didn’t agree, but Grandma agreed…and she already accepted the money.”
“…” Ger Yan held Ger Yu in his arms. He didn’t know what he should say to comfort him. He wouldn’t let Ger Yu go, but what about the 40 taels of silver? Now that it was in the hands of Old Lady Ji, how could it possibly be returned?
That night, Ger Yu temporarily slept with Zhao Liniang. Lin Lixuan hugged Ger Yan on the bed and kissed his eyebrows. “Ger Yan, back then…when you were forced to marry me, were you as unwilling as Ger Yu?”
“I also don’t know what I was thinking back then, but I wasn’t really unwilling.” Ger Yan lowered his head and smiled softly. “I grew up in the village and didn’t know how to read. I didn’t know what the outside was like. The people in the village say that once a Shuang’er turns 17 or 18, he needs to find a husband to marry…”
“Since I was a child, I’ve never been in close contact with men other than my family. I didn’t have other thoughts. For me at that time, it was the same whoever I married. I would have a place to live, and wouldn’t have to go hungry…”
Lin Lixuan sighed in his heart, but said with a smile, “Fortunately, you married me or else who would be able to raise a little foodie like you?”
“I…I’m actually okay if I go a little hungry.”
“But I can’t bear seeing my baby go hungry.”
Ger Yan smiled stupidly. He lowered his eyebrows, who knew what he was thinking. He said, “If I were to go back in time now, I would definitely not want to marry so casually.”
“Why not?”
“Because when I think that person might not be you, I feel so uncomfortable that I can’t breathe.”\
The next day.
Old Lady Ji, matchmaker Guan-zi, and Liu Li came to find someone.
Old Lady Ji called into the courtyard, “Where’s Ger Yu? This isn’t your home.”
Lin Lixuan came out. He stopped outside the gate and used his body to block the three peeping eyes. “Grandma, third aunt, welcome to my house.”
The third aunt Liu Li fearlessly said, “Let’s cut that chat. Bring Ger Yu out. He is a child of our Ji family. How could he stay in the house of his married older brother?”
“I see that you don’t treat him as a child of the Ji family.” Lin Lixuan’s eyelids lifted.
Guan-zi scratched his head and hesitantly touched his long hair. “This marriage was set by the parents and the matchmaker. They are just marrying Ger Yu out early.”
Lin Lixuan sneered, “Hmph, you’re selling him.”
Guan-zi shook the paper in his hand. “Whatever you say, Old Lady Ji has already accepted the Jiang family’s money. You see, the deed of sale is in my hands. Even if you go to the government, we are in the right. You better let Ger Yan come with me!”
Guan-zi smiled proudly, his lips bloody. “Look, it’s in black and white.”
