Bride Swap Backfire: My Cousin's Rebirth Made Us a Power Couple-Chapter 62 - 44: Betrothal (Part 4)
However, Mr. Zhao’s family hadn’t bought any oxen, and things like firewood and hay were all stored in the backyard. Consequently, the west wing alone had three rooms.
One room was used to store miscellaneous items, another housed the young grandsons, and the third was kept ready for married daughters to stay in when they returned home for a visit.
While the front courtyard had a spacious layout, the backyard seemed more compact. It contained an outhouse, a woodshed, a chicken coop and duck pen, two fruit trees, and a vegetable patch.
The cucumber, string bean, and eggplant plants had been cleared from the vegetable patch, and now seeds for cabbage, cilantro, and spinach had been sown, covered by a thick layer of straw.
Come next spring, these vegetables would shoot up like mushrooms after a rain.
These vegetables weren’t for the family’s own consumption but were intended to be sold to the restaurants and wealthy households in the county town.
Rarity makes things precious. Even though it was only a small plot, if tended to properly, it could easily earn them a few taels of Silver.
Right next to this vegetable patch, there was also a row of white radishes.
The radishes had been dug up this morning, and now they lay on the ground, their plump white bodies exposed.
Zhao Jing was there now, dressed in a long robe, trimming the green or yellowed leaves from each white radish and placing the plump vegetables into a woven basket beside him. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
He was preparing to carry them to the front courtyard.
Later, they would either be sliced and sun-dried for winter stews or pickled to be served as a side dish with morning and evening meals. If nothing else, they could be stored in the cellar, where they would easily last the whole winter.
The sun, which had been hiding behind the clouds, finally broke through the dense layers, leaping out from the heavy sea of clouds.
Golden light instantly spilled across the land, coating everything in an ethereal glow.
The young man standing in the brilliant sunlight had clear, gentle features and wore simple, unadorned clothing, yet his entire being was so radiant that one could not look away.
He sensed her arrival, straightened up, and brushed the dirt from his hands as he smiled at her. "Wanqing."
Chen Wanqing nodded, her eyes on Zhao Jing. He seemed embarrassed and turned his face slightly away.
The morning rays were so brilliant that they made the back of the young man’s ears and his cheeks flush red. His skin was fair and his jaw was sharply defined. That touch of red was like a sunbeam gracing a flawless sky, suddenly appearing all the more distinct.
His helplessness and fluster were so palpable, just like the young man himself. Even though he was mature and self-possessed for his age, at this moment, he seemed incredibly alive.
They both fell silent, and the air suddenly seemed to still.
In the end, it was Zhao Jing who broke the silence with a light cough. "You should step back a little, Wanqing. The soil is loose here. Don’t get your shoes muddy. I’ll come over."
Chen Wanqing did as he said and took a few steps back. When she looked up again, she saw that Zhao Jing had stopped about two paces away from her.
He had judged the distance perfectly—not so far as to seem distant, yet not so close as to feel imposing.
Chen Wanqing saw Zhao Jing rubbing the dirt from his fingers and belatedly held out her handkerchief. "Here, wipe your hands."
Zhao Jing shook his head and said with a smile, "No, it’s alright. My hands are dirty; I’ll just get your handkerchief dirty."
"You can just wash it if it gets dirty."
"I’d better not. I’ve already ruined one of your handkerchiefs. If I get this one dirty too, I’m afraid you’ll be angry with me."
Chen Wanqing thought of the handkerchief she had used to wipe his blood. She had used it to bandage his wound at the time. He went home for a while, and when he returned, the bandage had been replaced with a different cloth. Her handkerchief, soaked with blood and dampness, had probably been thrown away.
It was only a handkerchief, and Chen Wanqing didn’t mind. However, the memory suddenly brought Jing’s wound to mind, and she asked with a touch of concern, "Have you put medicine on your hand today? The wound hasn’t healed yet. You shouldn’t be working, lest it reopens."
"It’s nothing to worry about, Wanqing. I’ve been paying attention and being very careful... Wanqing, I know you have no wish to marry, but the Chen family and the Zhao Family are connected by multiple marriage ties, and it would be bad to have a direct falling-out. Our elders have taken a liking to you and wish for us to be wed. On one hand, it’s because they don’t want things to get out of hand and make it difficult for everyone. On the other, it’s because they genuinely think you are wonderful. If I could marry you, it would be a blessing I’ve cultivated over several lifetimes."
The topic had suddenly shifted from his wound to their marriage.
Zhao Jing’s abrupt change of topic stunned Chen Wanqing. When she finally collected herself, her expression was tinged with awkwardness.
Still, she lifted her gaze to Zhao Jing, looking directly at him, waiting to hear what else he would say.
She saw Zhao Jing give her a sincere, formal bow. "The elders have put you in a difficult position, and for that, I apologize. If you truly dislike this marriage proposal, I will go before our elders and decline. I’ll just say that I need to focus on the imperial examinations and have no mind for marriage at present."
