Chapter 17: The Willows Dark, the Flowers Bright

Huang Ling furrowed her brows, pondered for a moment, took another sip of tea, and said coldly: “This Li Xunshou, though handsome and dignified, I don’t favor him.”

“Why?” Huang Qi asked, puzzled. “He has looks, he has ability. Though a Shouling man isn’t an official, once he grows, he’ll be a major figure. According to Su Xunshou, Kun Ge is unquestionably the most gifted Shouling man in Yulin County.”

“He… has no ambition to advance!” Huang Ling explained. “If he did, he would’ve accepted your invitation just now to go to Jincheng and claim his own ‘fate.’ But he didn’t. He spouted nonsense to evade you—I don’t like that.”

Huang Yan instinctively stroked his beard, his expression anxious.

Huang Qi asked, confused: “Do you mean you hope Kun Ge will rise to the highest rank?”

“Not necessarily.” Huang Ling pondered, then said: “I just dislike a life without joy. He has no drive—his future ceiling is merely holding down some remote corner, guarding a single town or county, trapped there his whole life. I don’t want to live like that—it’s no different from a cage.”

The Huang father and son fell silent.

Though Huang Ling’s words sounded ambitious and unruly, they weren’t wrong.

A woman seeking a better husband is perfectly reasonable.

At that moment, the “Hu Ji” spoke: “But I think such a man is an ideal match. You really should consider him seriously.”

Huang Ling looked at her elder sister and sighed: “Sister, he has no ambition—he’ll probably never leave Jincheng, never become rich or powerful.”

“That’s fine. A stable life, no wandering or hardship.”

“He’s probably a quiet type, unskilled in refined pursuits.”

“Then you just teach him. You’re good at it.”

“Sister, why do you always contradict me?” Huang Ling grew impatient. “I won’t marry him. If you want him, marry him yourself.”

Hu Ji froze, her expression disappointed. “I’m only thinking of your best interests...”

Huang Ling immediately realized she’d spoken too harshly. She grabbed Hu Ji’s hand: “Sister, I’m sorry. Let’s drop this topic—can we let it go?”

Hu Ji nodded gently.

Then Huang Yan said: “Your mother is preparing dinner. Go help her.”

The two girls knew the men had important matters to discuss, so they linked arms and left.

Huang Yan sipped his clear tea and said: “I recently had inquiries made. This Li Xunshou is a good man—upright, never abuses power, never frequents brothels. He’s a rare talent among Shouling men. More than suitable for your second daughter.”

Huang Qi smiled: “Indeed. I noticed his integrity half a year ago.”

Huang Yan sighed: “Especially his view on the character ‘De’ just now—it captures the very essence of the Master’s journey with three thousand disciples across the seven states, always welcomed as honored guests.”

Huang Qi grimaced: “But such words shatter one’s Dao heart. Too bad your second daughter misjudged him—her prejudice runs deep. They’ll likely never have a chance again.”

Huang Yan sneered: “Women are like this—long hair, short insight.”

Huang Qi’s expression twisted: “Father, you can’t talk about your own daughter like that.”

“It’s true,” Huang Yan grunted. “I hired tutors to teach her characters and principles. Yet all her cleverness learned was how to read books—not how to understand the world. Foolish and unaware, yet proud. It angers me just to look at her.”

“Then teach her yourself.”

Huang Yan grumbled: “If I scold her even twice, your mother will come running to fight me. Can you save me then?”

Huang Qi’s face fell into helpless resignation.

In the Huang household… the matriarch was truly in charge.

But then Huang Yan stroked his beard, a smug smile spreading: “Son, let me tell you—our Huang family’s fate with Li Xunshou isn’t necessarily severed.”

“Hm?” Huang Qi looked at his father, puzzled.

“Just now, as I brought Li Xunshou home, we happened to meet your elder sister.” Huang Yan narrowed his eyes and smiled: “His expression then was strange—just like mine when I first saw your mother.”

“What expression?”

“Eyes shining.”

Huang Qi was astonished: “Kun Ge is taken with Big Sister’s type?”

“Very likely!” Huang Yan couldn’t help clapping lightly. “Your elder sister’s marriage has long been a thorn in my and your mother’s hearts. She’s already nineteen, still no suitable match. If we wait longer, she’ll become an old maid with no one left to want her. But from Li Xunshou’s reaction just now, I think there’s hope.”

“Then I’ll find chances to invite Kun Ge over often.”

“Exactly.”

…………

On the other side, Li Lin bought two Red Cherry Spears at the blacksmith’s shop, then purchased a dozen common elixirs at the general store, added some oil and salt, and returned to the village.

Recently his strength had grown—he moved faster than before, and still early in the day, he reached the village entrance.

There he saw a crowd gathered.

Closer inspection revealed two groups, shouting at each other.

He walked over, carrying a heavy cloth sack.

The villagers noticed him and turned to look.

Zhao Xiaohu rushed forward first, eyes bulging like copper bells, his bearded face flushed with anger: “Lin Ge, some thieves want to take your house!”

Hm?

Li Lin turned his gaze to the outsiders—seven of them: two elders, four youths, one middle-aged woman.

“Zhao Xiaohu, who says we’re trying to take someone’s house? We’re just reclaiming our ancestral home.”

A young man stepped forward, barking—his tone arrogant.

Li Lin set down the sack and asked: “Who are you?”

“We’re from Shangtikou Village too. We’ve come back to live here—can’t we?” The young man stuck out his chin.

Li Lin looked at Zhao Xiaohu: “True?”

“Yes, they used to be...” Zhao Xiaohu growled. “But they left! Four years ago! Now that they heard you wiped out You Gui, they’ve come back with no shame at all.”

To Li Lin, this wasn’t much.

After all, a gentleman avoids danger. With You Gui causing trouble outside the village, fleeing was normal.

If it were him, he’d flee too.

Still, he found these people odd.

Normal villagers trembled before Shouling men. These people, however, showed strong aggression.

Something strange must be afoot.

He’d wait and watch first—see if this was a trap.

Li Lin smiled with narrowed eyes: “If you’re from Shangtikou Village, returning is fine. More people mean more prosperity.”

Zhao Xiaohu fumed: “But they want to reclaim their old house—the one you’re living in now!”

Ah!

So that was it.

Li Lin kept smiling with narrowed eyes: “Do you have land deeds?”

“No deeds—we’re a small village, no such thing as land deeds.” A middle-aged man stepped forward. “But our ancestors lived here. Others can testify.”

Zhao Xiaohu’s face darkened, speechless.

Li Lin understood. He nodded: “Then I’ll move elsewhere. There are many empty houses in the village. But give me a few extra days to pack my belongings.”

“Fine.” The man agreed. “Five days from now, we’ll move back in.”

(End of Chapter)