Chapter 200 - Arranging a Marriage

The inner area had truly changed.

Chen Granny, who had never left the valley since entering, felt this transformation the most. In the past, apart from their group, who else would there be? Now, without mentioning the small wooden houses and vegetable patches built outside the outer village's caves, one could see that people were living in the mountains just by walking a short distance beyond the outer village. It wasn't just one family either; there was someone living every short stretch, likely in caves, as no houses were visible, but distinct paths trampled by humans and cultivated land could be observed.

Zhou Lazi's home used to be a half-hour journey from the outer village. Nowadays, when Sang Luo and the others headed in Zhou's direction, they could see large enclosures of land within two quarters of an hour. As they ventured further into the residential area, they could faintly hear the cries of those practicing staffs, but no one was in sight. They must have been deeper inside.

On the outskirts, several idle women were weaving straw mats. Upon spotting Shen Lie and his group from afar, they grew excited.

"It's Shen Xiaolang and Madam Sang!"

"Madam Sang is here!"

They all paused their work. Some went out to greet them, while others went inside to call for others. The group that came out was well-organized. The men greeted Shen Lie, while the women and young ladies addressed Madam Sang.

In reality, Sang Luo didn't recognize most of them. However, every villager, young and old, was exceptionally familiar with Sang Luo. Even if they had never seen her before, upon hearing that she was Madam Sang, they instinctively felt warmth and gratitude, expressing their enthusiasm and joy on their faces.

Sang Luo responded to their greetings. A group of boys, each carrying a staff like Sang Luo, had already dashed out of the village. Leading the pack was Feng Erlang, who called out "Master" from afar. As they approached, he greeted Sang Luo and the others. Hearing that Shen Lie had merely come for a visit, they all earnestly requested him to watch their practice and offer guidance.

Sang Luo found the situation amusing and replied, "Go ahead, I'll accompany Grandma and Aunt to the Zhou residence."

Indeed, there was no real danger within the village, and they were not too far away from their own home. The houses were arranged in a large circle, with a shared path leading inward.

At first, Old Lady Chen didn't notice anything unusual. But as they walked deeper into the village, more unfamiliar women greeted Sang Luo, causing her to ask in surprise, "You know so many people now?"

Mother Gan chuckled upon hearing this and explained, "It's not that A Luo recognizes them all, but everyone in this vicinity knows about A Luo."

She mentioned how Sang Luo had shared her profitable business, formulas, and knowledge of yam with others.

Old Lady Chen was initially taken aback but then laughed, patting Sang Luo's hand and saying, "This is a good thing. It's accumulating merit. Heaven keeps a record of every good deed. Remember, the divine is always watching from above."

Merit, huh?

Upon hearing this, Sang Luo couldn't help but ponder. If merit truly existed, she wished it could be accumulated for the original inhabitant of this body, so that she might have a better life in her next reincarnation. After all, she had already been given a second chance at life through transmigration; Sang Luo believed in the cycle of life and rebirth.

As for herself, she felt immensely grateful for this extra lifetime that heaven had bestowed upon her.

Beasts were actually fearful of humans too. Now that this place had become a village, most households didn't need to keep their courtyard gates tightly shut during the day. The mother and daughter heard someone mention Mother Sang, so they came out to inquire. Upon learning that Sang Luo, Shen Lie, and company had arrived, both of them hurriedly went out to welcome them.

From afar, Zhou Ge couldn't help but glance behind Sang Luo. She hadn't seen that person for almost two months, but she did spot Mother Chen. Disregarding her disappointment, she quickly composed herself and followed her mother to greet them.

Mother Chen had been discreetly observing Zhou Ge ever since she appeared. It had been almost a year since they last met, and the young lady had clearly blossomed. Recalling how her grandson had begged her last night to inquire about the Zhou family's attitude, a smile formed at the corners of Mother Chen's eyes. She held onto Zhou Ge and showered her with compliments.

The Zhou family's survival and their current prosperous life were all thanks to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's assistance. Therefore, Zhou Laizi's wife warmly welcomed Mother Chen and Sang Luo, immediately inviting them into their home.

Mother Chen wouldn't refuse such an offer. Smiling, she glanced in the direction the Zhou mother and daughter had come from, then at the high courtyard wall behind them. "You live there?"

Zhou Laizi's wife chuckled. "Yes, it's all thanks to Dashan, Shen Lie, and Manager Xu's help."

As she spoke, she led the three of them towards her home. Entering the first courtyard, there was a small table in the inner courtyard. She guided them to take a seat while Zhou Ge went to boil water.

Since it was winter, they already had a fire burning for warmth. The small pot boiled water quickly, and on such a chilly day, a pot of hot jujube tea was perfect. Zhou Ge filled clean bamboo cups with the tea and served them to the guests.

Mother Chen held the warm cup, inhaling the unique sweet aroma of the jujubes. She looked at Zhou Ge even more favorably and praised Zhou Laizi's wife. "Your Ah Ge's agility is just like yours."

Zhou Laizi's wife adored her eldest daughter and, hearing Mother Chen's compliment, she demurred with a smile on her face.

Gan peered into the cave but didn't spot Zhou family's two youngest children. She asked, "I don't see your Third Brother or Ah Kui. Are they also practicing with the long staff outside?"

Zhou Laizi's wife nodded and smiled. "Ah Ge's father and First Brother went into the mountains with others today. Second and Third Brothers are practicing. Ah Kui is just there to watch the excitement."

Curious about the long staff that Sang Luo had casually leaned against the courtyard wall, Zhou Ge glanced at her a few times before asking, "Sister, have you learned this staff technique too?"

Upon hearing her address her as 'sister', Sang Luo's eyebrows lifted slightly. She thought that soon enough, Zhou Ge would be calling her 'Sister Zhou Ge'. With a cheerful smile, she replied, "Yes, I've been learning. It's quite interesting. We're around the same age, so you can call me Ah Luo if you like."

In ancient times, marriage proposals were not done in front of the young lady. Assuming that Old Lady Chen and Gan were about to discuss the matter, Sang Luo smiled and said, "Where do you all practice here? Ah Ge, could you show me?"

"Sure," Zhou Ge agreed, wondering if Old Man Chen had arrived. Heading towards the village's training area, she nodded when Sang Luo suggested visiting the training ground, then bid farewell to her mother, Old Lady Chen, and Gan before leading Sang Luo out.

Sang Luo picked up the long staff and followed Zhou Ge out. As the two moved further away, the courtyard naturally became Old Lady Chen and the other two women's domain.

...

Unaware of Old Lady Chen's intentions, Zhou Ge engaged Sang Luo in casual conversation along the way. Upon reaching the training ground, she scanned the crowd several times.

Observing from the side, Sang Luo understood the situation. Smiling inwardly, she didn't reveal her thoughts and simply asked, "There are no women who practice martial arts here?"

Zhou Ge regained her composure and replied, "No, my father taught me archery, and I'm quite accurate. However, I don't have much strength. As for the staff, Third Brother taught me, but I don't seem to have a natural talent and can't seem to master it."

Upon hearing that she wasn't skilled, Sang Luo thought it might be due to lack of coordination or hesitation. Considering Zhou Ge's gentle nature, she suggested, "If you have the chance, you can practice with me. You don't have to become an expert; regular exercise is beneficial for your health."

In ancient times, childbirth conditions were poor, and many young women married at fifteen, still in the process of maturing. Without a strong constitution, giving birth could be challenging. This was one reason Sang Luo wanted to include Shen Ning in these exercises.

Zhou Ge wondered how they would practice together given the distance between their villages, but Sang Luo didn't elaborate on the matter. When several village women approached to chat with Sang Luo, Zhou Ge took her comment as a polite gesture and didn't inquire further.

When Shen Lie finished his instructions, he joined Sang Luo to head to the Zhou residence. Mother Chen and Madam Gan also bid farewell and left. After sending them off, Zhou Lazi's wife looked at Zhou Ge with a smile, studying her for a while before bursting into laughter.

Back in their room, Zhou Lazi's wife looked at her daughter with a grin and shared about the Chen family's visit to gauge her interest in marriage. Zhou Ge was both delighted and bashful, her heart filled with mixed emotions. It took her some time to understand the meaning behind Sang Luo's words.

If they agreed to the marriage proposal, wouldn't she have the opportunity to train with Sang Luo?

Realizing this, her cheeks flushed red.

Seeing her daughter's reaction, Zhou Lazi's wife knew she was secretly pleased. Her eyes brimmed with joy as she said, "I never expected such a good match for you. The Chen family has an excellent reputation, and Daxian is an exceptional young man that you couldn't find even with a lantern."

She playfully asked Zhou Ge, "Mother hasn't agreed to the marriage yet. I'll discuss it with your father and give an answer in a few days. Tell me, dear, do you want this marriage?"

Zhou Ge's cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg; she buried her head in shame, but recalling Chen Dashan, she steeled herself against her embarrassment and whispered, "I'll listen to Mother."

That was as good as saying yes.

Zhou Lazi's wife chuckled. "Alright, I'll talk to your father tonight. I'm sure he'll be more than willing."

Recalling the day she was rescued, she added with a smile, "It's fate, too."

Thinking about how Chen Dashan had taught the men and boys in their family archery, crafted them bows and arrows, and even sent them furs and meat, she guessed that Chen Dashan had taken a liking to Ge-ge himself.

This made Zhou Lazi's wife even happier.

In just a month, her daughter would turn seventeen—how time flew!

Her children's marriage prospects had been delayed by her frail health. For sons, it wasn't such a big deal; they could wait. But for a daughter, time was of the essence, especially in these times. Lately, she had occasionally thought about this matter and hadn't expected such a fine match to present itself so suddenly.

Zhou Ge, being sensitive, couldn't bear her mother's beaming gaze. She quickly invented an excuse about sewing and darted into the cave.

Speaking of sewing, some of the rabbit pelts she held, with their attractive fur colors, were gifts from Chen Dashan. The unspoken joy within her threatened to overflow.

...

On their way back, Sang Luo and the others passed through a vast reed field. They had all brought sickles, intending to cut some reeds to weave into curtains. Both the wooden door of the cave and the entrance to Shen An and Shen Jin's wooden house needed additional thick curtains to shield against the wind.

While cutting the reeds, Sang Luo softly asked Old Lady Chen, "Granny, how was it? What did Aunty Zhou say?"

Old Lady Chen beamed with joy as she leaned closer to Sang Luo and whispered in a low voice, "Such matters aren't settled on the same day. We'll have to make another visit in two days. But from what I see, it's likely to work out."

Her eyes crinkled into a delighted smile.

San Luo smiled and offered her congratulations, saying, "It seems I'll have to put some thought into a fine gift for Brother Da Shan."

This amused Mother Chen to no end.