When the pears are green

Chapter 122 The Disliked Li Yunan

On the way back, Song Li and her friends met Song Changhe, Song Ershun, Song Sanshun and Song Changsong who came to pay the land tax.

After a few pleasantries, Song Li urged Song Changhe and the others to hurry up, as Song Li was afraid that if they were too late, the county magistrate might have left.

Song Changhe let Song Ershun and the other two go first. He told Song Li to remember to bring Jiang Qingzhou and Jiang Qingye back to Wuzhuang Village in eight days. The Wu family would come to the Song family to propose marriage on that day.

Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou smiled and said that they understood and asked Song Changhe not to worry.

Song Changhe quickly caught up with Song Ershun and the other two. He waved goodbye to Song Li, Jiang Qingzhou and Ruyi.

Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou sent Ruyi back to Zhang's house together. Jiang Qingzhou took the cloth bag of wheat from the cart and handed it to Jiang.

Jiang was holding a cloth bag and she told Jiang Qingzhou: "In previous years, not a single grain of wheat would be left. These were taken from the mouths of that group of people. It was not easy!" After saying that, Jiang wanted to keep Jiang Qingzhou and Song Li at home for dinner.

Jiang Qingzhou used the excuse that the chicken grass at home had not been chopped yet. Seeing that Jiang Qingzhou was unwilling to stay, Jiang Shi let him and Song Li go back.

"Qingzhou, we haven't seen Constable Chen today. Let's find a chance to return the car to him. It's not good to keep it in our house all the time." Song Li discussed with Jiang Qingzhou as they walked.

Jiang Qingzhou stopped and told Song Li, "When Constable Chen came to deliver the slingshot last time, I wanted him to push the cart away, but Constable Chen didn't want to. He said that he bought this cart from someone else when he came to Heihe Town and only used it to push luggage. He also said that it was useless to keep it at his place, so it would be better to keep it at our house so that we can use it occasionally."

Song Li didn't quite understand why Chen Yuan did this. After returning home, she looked around the cart and knocked on it again and again, but didn't find anything unusual.

"Sister-in-law, what are you doing?" Jiang Qingye, who was standing aside, asked Song Li in confusion.

Song Li smiled a little awkwardly, and she explained to Jiang Qingye: "I think this car is well made. I want to take a closer look and ask my father to make one for me later." After that, Song Li made the excuse of going back to her room to rest. She turned into the kitchen and hugged Jiang Qingzhou who was making a fire to seek comfort.

Inside the Li family shop.

Li Yun'an was sitting at the counter supervising Lingling practicing calligraphy. Lingling never liked calligraphy, but since she learned that Hu Zhimin's late wife had beautiful handwriting, she started practicing calligraphy every day.

"Lingling, don't you dislike writing? Why make it so difficult for yourself?" Li Yun'an couldn't understand Lingling's thoughts. He picked up the paper Lingling had written on and thought about how he had spent a lot of effort to get Lingling to write, but it didn't work.

Lingling raised her head and answered Li Yun'an softly, "Brother, it's not that I want to compete with Miss Liu. I just don't want Zhimin to think of Miss Liu whenever he sees my ugly handwriting. Miss Liu writes regular script, and I write regular script too. When my handwriting is better than Miss Liu's, Zhimin will naturally stop thinking of her."

"This is a woman's jealousy. But why do you call her Miss Liu? This is not appropriate." Li Yun'an felt that this way of addressing her was inappropriate.

Lingling put the brush on the pen holder. She blew on the words on the paper first, then answered Li Yun'an: "Brother, Zhimin called him that too. He said that Miss Liu died on the day she married him. He and Miss Liu were engaged as children. At that time, Miss Liu was seriously ill, and the Liu family wanted to bring her happiness. He agreed, but he still didn't keep Miss Liu."

Li Yun'an felt sorry for Hu Zhimin in his heart. He became a widower before he even entered the bridal chamber and was also labeled as a wife-killer.

Lingling looked at her own handwriting, folded it up carefully, and wanted to take it home to show Li Ying and Li Liu.

Li Ying was also a student. He failed the imperial examination several times before and gave up the path of imperial examination. He returned to Heihe Town and took over the family shop. He spent his days drinking wine and discussing poetry with others, and had no intention of managing the shop. Since Li Yun'an was twelve years old, he left the shop to Li Yun'an and his mother. However, after Lingling got engaged to Hu Zhimin, he found that Hu Zhimin's literary talent was far superior to those he usually made friends with, so he decisively broke off his friendship with those people and devoted himself to studying poetry at home, thinking that when Hu Zhimin came over, he would have a discussion with Hu Zhimin.

Li Yun'an watched Lingling's actions. He knew that Lingling also wanted to prove her ability in front of Li Ying.

Wu Mingde walked into the shop in a hurry. He grabbed Li Yun'an's sleeve and asked Li Yun'an to go to the county town with him tomorrow.

Li Yun'an looked at Wu Mingde's anxious face and asked quickly, "Mingde, don't be anxious. Tell me what you are going to do in the county town first."

Wu Mingde let go of Li Yun'an's sleeves, and he said a little embarrassedly: "My family has proposed marriage to Xiaoyue's family. My father told me today that he will propose to Xiaoyue's family in a few days. Other things are easy to deal with, but we are still short of a hairpin. I would like to ask you to go to the county town with me to buy it tomorrow."

Lingling and Li Yun'an looked at each other in surprise. Lingling first congratulated Wu Mingde, and then looked at Li Yun'an with disdain.

"Li Yunling, what do you mean?" Li Yun'an grabbed the hairband on Lingling's hair and asked.

This headband was Lingling's favorite. She was afraid that Li Yun'an would tear it, so she quickly grabbed Li Yun'an's hand and shouted, "Brother, I don't mean anything. I just want to say that no matter whether it's Brother Wu San or Brother-in-law Jiang, they are not as old as you. Look at them, some are married, some are engaged. Look at you, you're almost twenty. If you don't get married, you're really going to let Dad do hard labor!"

Li Yun'an's eyes darkened for a moment, he loosened his hand, and the hairband that had been pulled up fell on Lingling's hair again.

Li Yun'an looked at Wu Mingde again and again, and he teased Wu Mingde: "Mingde, I used to match you with Miss Song, and you said I was meddling in your business. Now that you are missing a hairpin, you are in a hurry to invite me to go with you. Mingde, I am very sad, you are hypocritical to me."

Wu Mingde looked at Li Yun'an who was acting like a drama queen. He told Li Yun'an: "Yun'an, you are my best friend, so I am like this. When Yun'an gets engaged, I will also accompany you to buy a hairpin."

Before Li Yun'an could speak, Lingling couldn't help but interrupt: "Brother Wu San, don't wait any longer. I'm afraid that when you and Sister Xiaoyue's child is born, he will still be alone."

Li Yun'an pretended to pull Lingling's hairband again. Lingling hurriedly ran to the side and bumped into Hu Zhimin who was walking into the shop.

Hu Zhimin hurriedly supported Lingling and asked her why she was so careless.

Lingling told Hu Zhimin what had just happened with a complaining tone, and Hu Zhimin also looked at Li Yunan with disgust.

Hu Zhimin first took Lingling to Li's house, and Li Ying invited him to dinner at home.

Li Yun'an saw Hu Zhimin's eyes, and after the two men left, he punched them several times from behind.

When the shop closed, Li Yun'an and Wu Mingde returned to the Li family together. Li Liu and Li Ying both liked Wu Mingde very much, and Wu Mingde would sometimes stay overnight at the Li family.

After hearing Lingling talk about Wu Mingde's marriage, Mrs. Li Liu happily congratulated Wu Mingde. Then she glared at Li Yun'an who was sitting opposite Wu Mingde, and finally moved all the dishes in front of Li Yun'an to Hu Zhimin and Wu Mingde.

"Mom..." Li Yun'an cried aggrievedly.

"Look at Mingde, who is one year younger than you, and he is about to get engaged. Where is my daughter-in-law?" Li Liu glared at Li Yun'an again.

After Li Liu finished speaking, she pushed Li Ying, who was talking to Wu Mingde and Hu Zhimin, and said, "If you don't take care of him, you will have to do hard labor."

Li Ying no longer wanted to discuss poetry with Hu Zhimin and Wu Mingde. He pointed at Li Yun'an and said, "Arrange a marriage for him. If it doesn't work out by the end of the year, just pick someone at random."

Li Liu nodded, indicating that she agreed with Li Ying's statement.

Li Yunan covered his chest pretending to be sad. Hu Zhimin, who was standing beside him, lifted Li Yunan's hand up and kindly reminded him that he was covering his chest in the wrong place.