Village Belle Chapter 133
Translated by Digitalian (ko-fi)
Chapter 133: Using Xie Yuntang As A Shield
Lin Sanzhu was so angry that she could hardly breathe. Holding a spatula, she stood at the doorway, cursing, "Wretched girl, say that again, and I'll teach you a lesson! What do you want to do if you don't get married? Become an old nun? Huh? Just you wait, I'll have your father come and deal with you later."
She couldn't sleep at night because of this wretched girl. Girls around Su Tao's age were all being matched up and would be getting married in a year or two.
But her wretched daughter absolutely refused to consider any guy! One minute she'd say they weren't good-looking, the next she'd say they were too short.
Su Tao was definitely looking for someone with Xie Yuntang's standards. Where was she going to find Su Tao such a good match?
"Dad wouldn't do that. He said he'd take care of me for life."
Su Tao stood in the yard, holding Su Dou and baring her teeth at Lin Sanzhu. Then she looked down at Su Dou and spoke ill of Lin Sanzhu, "Mom is so bad. She scolds me every day."
Su Dou had been obedient since he was little, and Su Tao had never bullied him. The two siblings had a very good relationship. Su Dou hugged her neck and looked at Lin Sanzhu. "Mom, you're bad. Why did you scold Sister?"
His chubby little face and angry expression made Su Tao laugh out loud.
Lin Sanzhu glared at her disdainfully. Her wretched daughter was pretty, but she was always acting like a tomboy. She said with exasperation, "Open your mouth any wider, and I'll sew it up for you!"
"Wei Yan’s marriage is already being arranged. It’s said that it’s a good match. The groom's family lives in town. They own a house and a shop, and the dowry is five taels of silver."
"Aren't you worried? If you don't hurry, you'll be old, and then who will you marry?"
Seeing that she wouldn't stop, Su Tao felt a headache coming. She covered her ears. "I can't hear you, I can't hear you, I can't hear you..."
Lin Sanzhu, "..."
She wanted to say something more, but she was still cooking something in the pot, so she quickly turned around to cook.
Just then, Su Zhi returned, his schoolbag slung haphazardly over his shoulder, looking rather nonchalant. But as soon as he saw Su Tao, he immediately stood ramrod straight and forced a smile, saying, "Sister."
"Come here," Su Tao said sternly, beckoning him over. When he came over, she gave him two slaps on the arm, saying fiercely, "Su Zhi, you're really something! Your homework is a mess! Well, you're something else! I was so embarrassed when the teacher spoke to me."
"Sister, Sister, I was wrong, I was wrong..." Su Zhi kept dodging, not daring to fight back.
Fighting back would only result in a worse beating.
Lin Sanzhu from the kitchen suddenly spoke up, cursing, "Hit him harder, make him study properly! You two siblings are both worrisome! I must’ve owed you in my past life!"
Su Zhi yelled for a while before Su Tao stopped. She sat down and asked him to show her his homework.
Su Zhi obediently took it out, standing nervously, afraid she would notice something amiss. Su Dou hugged his leg. "Brother, why are you being disobedient again?"
Su Zhi glared at him, then looked up and saw Su Tao watching him. His heart skipped a beat, and he timidly lowered his head.
Although he occasionally acted recklessly, Su Zhi's studies had improved a lot in recent years, which was thanks to Su Tao's daily supervision.
Last year, he was sent to take the preliminary imperial examination, and he almost passed.
They planned to try again next year.
Su Tao checked it and, finding nothing wrong, returned it to him, saying earnestly, "I didn't say you couldn't play. You can play once you've finished doing your homework. I wouldn't mind even if you broke your arms or legs."
"Go, get me a bowl of water."
Su Zhi turned around, muttering discontentedly, "She’s so fierce. Only Brother Yuntang can stand her..."
After a while, Su Fu returned from work, and when Lin Sanzhu fetched water for him to wash his hands, she complained about Su Tao, "Do you know what your wretched daughter said? She won't get married!"
"The Li family's child is so good, honest and capable, and his parents are honest too. She'll be living a life of luxury once she marries into the family."
"Wretched girl, if you don't believe me, at least believe your father. Your father has a lot of contact with the Li family."
His daughter was indeed of marriageable age. Su Fu glanced at her pitiful expression beside him, and changed his mind. "The Li family is indeed quite good, but Taozi is still young. There’s no rush."
Lin Sanzhu, "..."
She glared at him. "Young? She'll be fourteen soon! When I was her age, I was about to be married to you."
"Dad already said I'm still young. Mom, please give me a break. It’s giving me a headache." Su Tao rubbed her temples.
"Your head hurts, and so does mine! Why don't you listen to what Wei Yan's mother said? She told me to find you a man in his twenties."
Lin Sanzhu was furious about it, cursing as she continued, "So what if it's a good marriage? Is her daughter as tall as mine? As pretty as mine? Just you wait, I'll definitely find someone better than her family."
Su Tao covered her ears, blinked, and started bringing up the Xie family as a shield again. "Then you approach the Xie family. If you dare to, I'll marry Xie Yuntang."
She knew very well that Lin Sanzhu wouldn't dare to approach the Xie family.
No normal person would do that. The Xie family was so rich. They naturally wanted to find a good wife.
Lin Sanzhu, who was cursing, was speechless. "..."
She glared at Su Tao angrily. "Don't you know yourself? Do you think Yuntang would even consider you? I've heard that Yuntang is getting engaged to a young lady from a wealthy family!"
"That's right, since Xie Yuntang doesn't like me, I won't get married. I'll wait until he likes me before I get married." Su Tao used Xie Yuntang as a shield, planning to give him a heads-up later.
"Stop using Yuntang as an excuse. Go away, you're making me angry." Lin Sanzhu, frustrated with Su Tao, went to the kitchen to get bowls and chopsticks.
They were going to pick peach blossoms in the afternoon, so Lin Sanzhu and the others ate quickly and left with their baskets.
A few years ago, after Su Fu stopped working for the Xie family, Su Tao had him lease the Xie family's peach orchard.
On account of their relationship, the Xie family leased it for a token amount of two hundred coins a year.
Over the past few years, Su Fu had often tended to the orchard. The trees had grown very well, and one of them even bore fruit last year.
Su Dou, carrying a small basket, was picking up clean flower petals from the ground. Su Tao was increasingly pleased with him, patting his head. "I’ll give you some pastries later."
"Sister, you're so good." Su Dou grinned.
Su Tao found a low tree and kicked it, sending many petals scattering to the ground. Once most had fallen, she gently scooped them up with her hands, grabbing handfuls and tossing them into her basket.
Lin Sanzhu's eyelids twitched. No wonder so few people came to propose marriage. She'd overheard a gossipy woman saying that Su Tao had a bad temper.
"Wretched girl, can't you be gentle? Let your father kick the trees!" While she was talking, she kicked the tree in front of her several times, her strength no less than Su Tao's.
"Mom, give up. I'm fierce like you." Su Tao winked.
The fierce Lin Sanzhu, "..."
The group picked peach blossoms for a long time. Su Tao's mind was filled with nothing but peach blossoms. Suddenly, a dark shadow casted over her, and a gentle voice was heard. "Sister Taozi."
She turned her head and looked at the handsome guy, and immediately said happily, "Milksop, you're finally here! Come and help me pick some. I'm going to slack off. I'm exhausted."
Xie Yuntang smiled gently. "Okay, sit down and rest for a while." After saying that, he took a paper bag from his sleeve and gave it to her.
Su Tao's eyes lit up. "Milksop, you understand me the best! I'm so hungry. Doudou, come and eat some cakes."
