Chapter 37

Chapter 37

After pondering all night, Pei Yan couldn't figure out the solution. Seeing that it had stopped raining early in the morning, he left the courtyard despite the muddy ground, his face cold as ever. The black dog, who had tried to wag its tail, retreated back to the shed.

Gu Lan woke up rather late that day, worn out from all the weeping. He felt his eyes swollen and rubbed them gently. It was only after he sat up that he gradually recalled what had happened yesterday.

It was true that he had cried to marry Pei Yan, but when the tears truly flowed, he was genuinely heartbroken.

Bamboo Boy had already woken up early and brought a basin of fresh water into the room. He first observed Gu Lan's expression before whispering, "Father went to the back mountain."

Placing the basin on the wooden rack for washing, he continued, "He said he wants to ask Pei Yan's opinion. It's better to seize the moment than wait for a specific date. It's best to clarify things sooner."

Gu Lan hastily got off the kang and put on his shoes, saying, "Father is too hasty. Why didn't he discuss this with me first? Actually, I already asked Pei Yan yesterday. He agreed to marry me, so that's why I told you."

Gu Lan Bamboo was stunned, finally blurting out after a long pause, "So you two had already made plans together."

Gu Lan finally smiled. He wasn't very skilled at lying, so he honestly explained, "We didn't exactly make plans together. I begged him to marry me, and although he wasn't too keen on the idea, I didn't want to marry anyone else. If I end up with another wicked person, it'd be better to just die."

As he washed his face, he continued, "I know he wasn't willing, but he gave in under my persistence. But I had no other choice. This is the most outrageous thing I've ever done; I've lost all face now. You can't tell Mother about this. Otherwise, I'll get scolded again."

Brother Zhuge rolled his eyes and said, "Well, you had me worried for nothing."

Gu Lan wiped his face clean and patted his younger brother's head with a smile. "I wasn't lying yesterday. Who wouldn't be scared? But now it's alright. Pei Yan isn't that kind of person. I feel at ease following him."

After crying it out, he felt a sense of clarity. Those matters would eventually pass. If he kept living in fear, how could he face the future?

Seeing him let out a long sigh of relief, Gu Lanzhuge also relaxed. His Doggie Brother had said that Pei Yan was odd but a good person. Since Elder Brother Lan Shi was willing, there was no point in reproaching him.

On the other side, Gu Tieshan made his way through the woods and reached the back mountain. Upon seeing the dilapidated huts at the outskirts, he shook his head and sighed. Pei Yan was so poor that he could only live in such an abandoned place without even a decent house.

Just as he was about to proceed, he heard Miao Qiulian calling him from behind.

"Dad," Miao Qiulian jogged over.

"Why are you here?" Gu Tieshan asked.

Miao Qiulian replied, "I couldn't help but worry, so I came to take a look."

She glanced around and shook her head, just like Gu Tieshan, before sighing.

The place didn't seem inhabited. The pair continued walking inward until they reached a residence enclosed by a wall, where they noticed the door was locked. They knew for sure that Pei Yan lived here. The entrance was tidy, devoid of clutter, but the courtyard walls were aged, and the main gate had peeled paint. Even its cleanliness couldn't conceal the signs of wear and tear.

This was indeed somewhat impoverished.

The couple thought in unison about this fact. Their family had enjoyed a comfortable life over the years, and they had always wanted to find a suitable match for Gu Lan with a similar background. Seeing Pei Yan's poverty, the contrast was stark, causing a twinge of discomfort in their hearts.

The courtyard gate was locked, obscuring the view inside. Miao Qiulian sighed and said, "He must have some belongings, even if they're old. He has to live alone, after all. Putting aside other things, he must have cooking utensils, otherwise, how could he survive?"

Despite her words, they offered little comfort. Gu Tieshan also let out a sigh.

The two lingered by the entrance for a moment, about to peek through the crack when suddenly, a fierce barking erupted from behind the door.

Recalling the crazed dog, Miao Qiulian hastily tugged at Gu Tieshan, urging him to retreat. Both were startled and looked at each other, still shaken. Eventually, Gu Tieshan sighed, "Forget it, let's come another day when Pei Yan is home."

On their way back, Miao Qiulian pondered and said, "His father, we shouldn't have had the matchmaker come over. Us showing up like this looks rather inappropriate."

Gu Tieshan had his own thoughts on the matter. He replied, "With Lan'er's situation, she can't not marry. If we send a matchmaker and Pei Yan immediately refuses, how could we regain our face to try again? It's better for us to come secretly first. No one will know, and who would be eager to marry their daughter to him? Besides, with Pei Yan's reputation, everyone knows he keeps a mad dog. Among the matchmakers in the neighboring villages, all are either women or their husbands. Who would dare step foot in his house?"

"Indeed," Miao Qiulian agreed upon hearing the reasoning. She understood Gu Tieshan's underlying meaning - given Pei Yan's temperament, it wouldn't be surprising if he refused multiple times. They were prepared to risk their reputations. Thus, she sighed and fell silent.

Gu Tieshan continued to reassure her with his constant chatter, "Pei Yan is tall and strong, he can handle woodcutting and farming without issues. He also owns two mu of land, so he should have enough to eat. With more firewood cut during winter, there'll be no shortage."

The more Gu Tieshan spoke, the more Miao Qiulian's teeth ached. She gritted her teeth and sighed, thinking that two mu of land might suffice for one person, but how could it feed two? Farm taxes and head taxes were all in money and grain. Even with lighter levies, they'd barely have enough to fill their bellies.

She glanced at the forest behind them. Fortunately, they lived near the mountains, where they could gather wild produce and, as a last resort, rely on wild vegetables. They would likely manage to have enough to eat.

"Though he has no relatives or friends, he won't be bullied either. He's someone even ghosts avoid; not causing trouble for others is already a blessing," Gu Tieshan continued his monologue. "Actually, having strength is a good thing. He can work hard, labor for a few years, and earn more land. Then, life will become easier."

Miao Qiulian agreed. A strong laborer was indeed valuable. Recalling another matter, she said, "What about the Pei family?"

She had never liked the Peis, all ungrateful people. Now, she was about to be connected to them, which made her teeth ache even more.

Gu Tieshan pondered for a moment before responding, "We don't need to worry about them. Pei Yan, that living devil, could even beat up his own mother. The Pei Xingwang family is now either incapacitated or crippled, how could they still have the audacity to provoke Pei Yan?"

"Everyone in the village knows that Pei Yan has severed ties with his family. We won't involve ourselves with them either. We'll only interact with Pei Yan alone."

Miao Qiulian nodded and said, "It's just a pity for my Lan Ge'er. If this really happens, we'll only have two people at home. There won't be any elders to sit above during the wedding ceremony."

Thinking of something else, she quickly added, "Pei Yan doesn't have any relatives. If he can't even host a banquet..."

Gu Tieshan's expression was also grim as he clutched his stomach, wincing in pain.

Miao Qiulian, confused, hastily asked, "Your father?"

Gu Tieshan waved his hand and replied, "Stomachache."

"I have a toothache too," Miao Qiulian sighed. Both of them knew that their stress from the urgent matter had likely caused it. They decided to go home and brew some bitter vegetable water to soothe their irritations.

Upon entering the house, they found Gu Lan Shi already waiting for them. His eyes were still slightly swollen, but he wore a broad smile. Seeing this, Gu Tieshan and Miao Qiulian couldn't bring themselves to dampen his spirits with discouraging words, so they pretended their toothaches and stomachaches worsened.

Unaware of their thoughts, Gu Lan Shi served them tea and water attentively, saying with a smile, "Mother, don't worry. He has promised me."

Gu Tieshan, halfway through sipping his tea, choked and started coughing violently. He didn't have time to reach for his handkerchief and instead wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He raised his voice and asked, "He came to you?"

Gu Lan Shi had never been yelled at by his father since he was young; it was usually Miao Qiulian who scolded him. Realizing now that he shouldn't have been overly confident, he hung his head and whispered, "It wasn't him who found me. I went to find him."

Gu Tieshan, still catching his breath, began coughing again. Miao Qiulian placed a hand on her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. She said, "Lan-ge, are you rebelling? You're so daring, aren't you afraid of gossip?"

Suddenly, she realized something and widened her eyes. "No wonder you've been running out all these days, saying you were digging for roots. Tell me, were you really looking for him?"

No one knows a child better than their mother. Despite her previous lack of suspicion, Miao Qiulian now understood with a clarity that filled her with rage. She pointed an accusing finger at Gu Lan's forehead and scolded, "You, you! Have you grown a lion's courage? How dare you tackle such a significant matter alone?"

Gu Lan had no choice but to reveal the entire story to his parents, fearing they might think Pei Yan was a shameless man.

In truth, it was he who should be deemed shameless. Miao Qiulian was furious but refrained from cursing him, worried that neighbors or passersby might overhear. With a sigh, she reluctantly accepted the situation.

Gu Lan dared not speak much more, knowing that the following steps required his parents' intervention. If he continued to meddle, he risked provoking them again, which could jeopardize the entire arrangement.

Gu Tieshan didn't leave the house all day, discussing the matter with Miao Qiulian. In the end, neither of them felt confident.

They had agreed to the marriage, but according to custom, a proper dowry and betrothal gifts were expected. Otherwise, they would face ridicule and potentially dishonor their daughter, Shuang'er.

Especially since their family was doing well, and they had set their sights on Pei Yan. Once the engagement was settled, there would undoubtedly be gossip around the village.

The next morning, after Pei Yan woke up and stored the empty wine jar, he prepared to weed the fields, as the sunny weather called for work in the land.

Before leaving, the black dog barked at the door, followed by someone calling out to him.

Opening the courtyard gate, Gu Tieshan stood there, scratching his head in apparent discomfort. After Pei Yan quieted the dog, he fell silent for a moment before asking the purpose of the visit.

Gu Tieshan struggled to find the right words, and the silence between them at the doorstep was somewhat awkward. Hearing an opportunity to ease the tension, he promptly seized it, saying, "Well, I'm here to discuss your relationship with Brother Lan."

Upon seeing that Pei Yan didn't refute him, he sighed inwardly. Indeed, his son, Brother Lan, had already made his choice.

Pei Yan's thin lips pressed together, but he eventually opened the courtyard gate wide, inviting Gu Tieshan in. There was only one chair in the main room, so he silently fetched another from inside and poured two cups of tea before sitting down.

Gu Tieshan cleared his throat. He was not a woman, so there was no point in being hesitant or coy. Thus, he straightforwardly began, "If both of you are willing, my wife and I have no objections. But the marriage ceremony must be conducted properly, following all the steps without compromise. Matters like the betrothal letter and dowry also require clear agreements."

To be honest, Pei Yan was slightly surprised; he hadn't expected Gu Lanshi to act so swiftly.

Lowering his gaze, he listened to Gu Tieshan's lengthy discourse. As the initial confusion and impulsiveness faded, his heart gradually calmed. It was just another complication; life might not change much. He should simply adapt to the situation and avoid overthinking, which could lead to unnecessary stress.

Since the marriage involved money, it was inevitable that they would haggle over the details, though it sounded unseemly to call it that.

Given that Gu Lanshi had been insistent on marrying, Gu Tieshan found it difficult to adopt an arrogant father-in-law demeanor. He couldn't bear to nitpick at his future son-in-law. However, he wasn't overly eager either. The necessary formalities must be fulfilled, and nothing could be spared – this was the last vestige of their family's dignity.

Fortunately, Pei Yan showed some consideration and eventually agreed to a dowry of three taels, a sum comparable to what ordinary families would pay for a double marriage, and even higher than some who offered only two taels.

After returning home and drinking two cups of tea, Gu Tieshan remarked, "Good lad, you nearly wore out my tongue."

Miao Qiulian poured him another cup of tea, remarking, "Three taels is quite decent. Initially, I thought he didn't even have a single copper coin. Yet, he was unexpectedly holding his cards close to his chest."

Gu Tieshan sat down and said, "I felt the same way. When we discussed the betrothal gift, my heart almost leaped out of my throat. I was terrified of hearing a mere few copper coins; I might have fainted from embarrassment. But when he mentioned two taels, it was like I came back to life."

He continued, "Fortunately, he had some sense of decency. He didn't even mention one tael. After further negotiation, we finally agreed on three taels."

Miao Qiulian sat down as well, taking a bite of a cake. She asked, "Did you discuss the dowry?"

Gu Tieshan shook his head and replied, "No, that's why I think he has some conscience. He didn't know anything about the dowry, yet he offered three taels. Well, that's not bad at all."

In the room, Gu Lan eavesdropped on their conversation, relieved to hear that even the bride price had been settled. His anxiety dissipated instantly.