Chapter 45: You Want to Be My Father?

Throwing a feast was an absolute must!

Country folk loved nothing more than a lively gathering. Whenever good fortune visited a family, they would set up a couple of tables to treat their neighbors and friends, and the guests would arrive carrying congratulatory gifts.

The amount didn't matter.

It was all about the thought behind it...

Inside the Cheng family courtyard.

The women had gathered to wash vegetables and cook.

"Cuiyun, my dear."

"You've finally made it through the hard times!"

Several women smiled and offered their congratulations.

Liu squared her shoulders proudly and smiled with modest restraint, "Oh, it's nothing much, just a child scholar! Besides, keeping a scholar in the family is quite a hefty expense."

"What's there to worry about?"

Aunt Niu said heartily, "If your family needs anything in the future, just give a shout! We're all neighbors here, of course we'd lend a hand!"

"Exactly!"

"Just say the word if you need help!"

"Little Six is so accomplished, it brings honor to the whole village!"

The women laughed warmly.

Yao Chunhua was also present.

Ever since Qin Dongzhi had been driven out of Hexi Village, the relations between the second and third branches of the family had actually grown a bit closer, and they would discuss and handle matters together when things came up.

"Cuiyun."

She put down the work in her hands and suddenly said, "Seeing as Little Six is turning nine soon, your sister-in-law has a niece in her maiden family who just turned nine this year..."

At these words.

The surrounding women all turned to look at Liu.

Their eyes gleamed with interest.

The Cheng family was thriving now!

Not only were they practically guaranteed success in the imperial examinations, but they also had the backing of a prefectural judge.

Who wouldn't want to marry into a family like that?

"Second Sister-in-law."

Liu hurriedly interrupted.

Looking somewhat displeased, she said, "How old is Little Six anyway? Isn't it a bit too early to talk about this now?"

"Too early for what?"

"When it comes to matters like this, the sooner the better!"

Yao Chunhua wanted to press on.

But Liu didn't care to listen any further and cut her off, "Let's forget about it. Little Six has had a mind of his own since he was little, who knows what he might want to do in the future!"

"This..."

"I suppose that's true?"

Yao Chunhua let out a dry, awkward laugh and said no more.

Nobody was a fool.

The Cheng family was on the rise now.

Naturally, people would start setting their sights on them.

Yet water flows downward, but people strive to rise...

While you might wish to marry into a wealthier family.

They, too, would want a match of equal social standing!

Meanwhile, over on the other side.

The men had already started competing in drinking games.

Cheng Dashan, who had downed three consecutive large bowls of yellow wine, was feeling slightly tipsy, laughing boisterously with the other fellows and occasionally cracking off-color jokes.

The courtyard was exceptionally lively.

"Brother Cheng!"

At that moment.

A hearty laugh rang out from outside the courtyard.

Everyone turned their heads.

Subconsciously, they all stood up.

"Patron Gu?"

"Please, come right in..."

The villagers stepped aside, looking somewhat restrained and timid.

Gu Changqing walked in, pulling his daughter along with him.

He smiled politely, "What is everyone doing? We're all neighbors, there's no need to be so formal, otherwise it will look like I'm taking over the host's place."

Despite his words...

Given the Gu family's status, who would dare to show any disrespect?

A few of the men tactfully yielded the seat of honor at the main table.

"Congratulations to your esteemed son on achieving the rank of child scholar!"

Gu Changqing sat down.

He took a brocade box from inside his robe and handed it over.

"I have prepared a meager token of my regard, and I hope Brother Cheng and Sister-in-law will not look down upon it."

"Thank you so much, Patron Gu!"

The couple hurriedly received it with both hands.

Opening the box...

Inside sat a lifelike golden Guanyin statue!

Whoa!

Gasps of astonishment erupted from the surrounding crowd.

"It's gold!"

"It must weigh at least three or four taels, right?"

"How much money would that cost? Patron Gu sure is generous!"

Yet at the same time.

Everyone couldn't help their minds wandering...

Why on earth would Gu Changqing give such a heavy gift to the Cheng family?

Even the wealthiest people wouldn't throw money around like that, would they?

"This..."

"It's far too precious!"

The couple was equally shocked and dismayed.

Everyone loved wealth.

Yet accepting a gift meant accepting a favor.

A gift of this magnitude...

How could the Cheng family ever repay it?

"Oh, it's just a gesture of goodwill."

Gu Changqing's smile was warm and gentle.

He glanced at his daughter Gu Xiaorou and added, "According to the custom here in Pinggu County; 'Men wear Guanyin, women wear Buddha'... This Guanyin statue was personally taken by my daughter to the temple to have a venerable master consecrate it..."

The sincerity of a gift was not measured by its price.

Besides, he had already stated that this was to bring peace and safety!

"Then we thank Patron Gu from the bottom of our hearts."

"Little Six..."

Liu could only smile and accept it.

She hurriedly pulled her son over, saying, "Hurry up and thank Patron Gu!"

"Thank you, Patron Gu."

The family of three expressed their gratitude repeatedly.

Cheng An was also stunned after taking hold of the golden Guanyin.

Old Gu is certainly bold and generous!

This weight...

If it were converted into cash, it would be enough to feed his family of three for ten years!

Rumors had been circulating outside all these days that the Gu family was going bankrupt, but today this golden Guanyin was the best possible response to those idle gossips.

Even if the Gu family's business had suffered losses,

They were still the wealthiest family in Qingshui Town!

...

Following the arrival of such a distinguished guest as Gu Changqing,

The banquet reached its climax!

The villagers came over one by one to offer toasts.

Gu Changqing accepted every single one, and before long he was feeling slightly buzzed.

"My good brother!"

After three rounds of drinks,

Gu Changqing grew even more enthusiastic, grabbing Cheng Dashan's hand and saying, "Tell me, in a few years, our Little Six will be of age to marry. Have you found a good family for him yet?"

"Huh?"

With a flushed face, Cheng Dashan froze for a moment.

Hearing this, the villagers also turned their heads and fixed their gazes firmly on the three members of the Cheng family.

No wonder he brought such a heavy gift.

It turned out he had premeditated this all along!

Yet the real question was...

Would the Cheng family agree?

Everyone knew.

Gu Changqing had no sons!

If they were to marry into the family through an alliance, there was a very high probability it would be as a matrilocal husband.

If this had happened half a year ago, ordinary folks at the absolute bottom like the Cheng family would have burned incense just to manage to find a wife, and taking him in as a son-in-law would have been climbing way out of their league!

But things were different now.

From the very moment Cheng An passed the child scholar examination...

It meant the Cheng family had already stepped out of the "lower-class commoner" bracket and successfully ranked themselves among the "upper crust" of Qingshui Town!

It might sound like child's play.

Yet for ordinary people, even the tiniest leap across social classes was immensely precious!

Cheng An, who had been burying his face in his food nearby, was also dumbfounded.

He raised his head,

A chicken leg still half-stuffed in his mouth,

And stared blankly at Gu Changqing...

Old man!

You're playing dirty!

I treated you as a business partner, and you want to be my father, damn it?

The atmosphere gradually grew heavy.

Yet Gu Changqing remained completely oblivious.

He continued, "Xiaorou is my eldest daughter, she just turned nine after the New Year."

"Patron Gu..."

Before he could finish,

Cheng Dashan hurriedly interrupted, "Isn't it a bit too early to talk about this? Besides, the boy just passed his child scholar exam, so he needs to focus even more on his studies! Wouldn't you agree?"

"Naturally, that goes without saying!"

How could Gu Changqing not know what was on his mind?

The family had gone to such great lengths to cultivate their son into a scholar, and life was finally looking up, only for someone to step in right at the start and try to reap the rewards of someone else's hard work?

So what if you're wealthy?

Compared to a bright future, money was worth less than dirt!

If it weren't for the awkwardness of turning hostile completely...

The couple would have wanted to chase him out on the spot.

"Brother!"

Gu Changqing smiled helplessly.

Then, putting on a falsely intimate tone, he said, "You know as well as I do, I only have these two daughters at home! If you are willing, won't all of the Gu family's assets belong to Little Six in the future?"

"But..."

Cheng Dashan wanted to refuse.

Yet thinking of the heavy gift just handed over, he found it hard to give a blunt rejection.

"Brother!"

Gu Changqing appeared increasingly intoxicated, yet his words remained exceptionally clear and articulate, "I genuinely feel that this boy Little Six is extraordinary—he's smart and has a strong sense of responsibility! If Xiaorou marries into your family in the future, my mind will truly be at ease!"

"Marry..."

"Marries into our family?"

The couple stared blankly.

The villagers, who had pulled up a chair just to watch the drama, were also dumbfounded.

Wait a minute, isn't that wrong?

Shouldn't he be marrying *into* the Gu family?

What was the meaning of this?

"No..."

"He isn't marrying in as a matrilocal son-in-law?"

Liu subconsciously glanced toward the side at Gu Xiaorou, who looked somewhat shy.

The young girl was indeed quite pretty, and every gesture she made exuded the poise and refinement of a wealthy household. If he wasn't marrying in...

Then this was truly an exceptional match!

"Of course!"

Gu Changqing glanced at Cheng An, who was looking bewildered, and said with a warm smile, "As long as this match is made, we'll be one big family from then on, and I, Gu, will certainly spare no effort in helping him enter officialdom!"